Times Will Change
by Serendipity Cullen
Summary: Lexie Grey adjusted her backpack on her left shoulder and took a deep breath as her eyes trailed up the three story building. This was it. The first day of high school. The next four years would determine the rest of her life. MerDer, Slexie, Japril, Crowen, and more! I do not own Grey's Anatomy or its characters-Shonda Rhimes does.
1. Chapter 1 - Welcome to High School

Chapter 1 - Welcome to High School

Lexie Grey adjusted her book bag on her left shoulder and took a deep breath as her eyes trailed up the three story building.

This was it. The first day of high school. The next four years would determine the rest of her life. Would she end up being a surgeon as she wanted, or would she flip burgers until she was too old to lift a spatula? Lexie shivered at the thought of being stuck at a minimum wage job when she wanted to master the OR. And that required focus. If she just focused on her goals and didn't let anything distract her, she'd be fine. That was going to be hard to do though since she was a cheerleader.

Yep, Lexie Grey let her mother Susan talk her into being a cheerleader.

Lexie wasn't sure about the whole cheerleading thing to be honest. Her mother, however, had spent many hours talking to her about the unity of a cheerleading squad, the life-long friendships that would be formed, school spirit, and in a last ditch effort, Susan pointed out that being a 'well-rounded' person with different skills and abilities would have her at the top of any scholarship list.

The last reason caught Lexie's attention. If she wanted to make it to an internship, she'd have to invest eight years of her life into college prep and med school, and that cost money. Lots of money. Lots of money that her parents wouldn't be able to shell out due to her father's previous history of being the town drunk.

Lexie didn't blame Thatcher Grey; she understood that everyone hit hard times. Some turned to cigarettes, others to food, but Thatcher's vice of choice was alcohol. And alcohol wasn't cheap. He'd practically drained the family's savings; he'd only sobered when Susan threatened to take Lexie and her younger sister Molly and move across the country to Susan's hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Luckily for all of them, Thatcher had given up alcohol that very day. He entered rehab, and he and Susan went to weekly sessions of marriage counseling.

The reason for Thatcher's drinking reared its head one random day during a session. He'd been married before; married to a woman who stepped out on him. The woman was the infamous Ellis Grey; the Ellis Grey who won a Harper-Avery award last year that sent Thatcher on his drinking binge.

Susan was a forgiving woman; she chalked off his past as simply that-his past. She understood the trauma of adultery, but she would not allow it to taint her marriage to Thatcher. Susan had two rules-no more drinking, and no more secrets. The couple had been happy ever since.

Unfortunately, happiness doesn't pay the bills, and Lexie would need scholarships to make it to the finish line of surgery.

Obviously, the road to the finish line was littered with pom-poms, school cheers, and pep rallies.

"Ow," Lexie frowned as someone nearly knocked her to her feet, jarring her from the mental trip through her family tree.

"Hey, are you okay?" a male voice asked as a hand wrapped around her arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lexie frowned, glaring to the teenage boy. Her eyes softened as they landed on a gorgeous pair of blue eyes. Her eyes moved down the jawline and landed on...the football jersey. Great. One of the meatheads she was going to be cheering for had nearly taken her out.

"I'm really sorry about that," the boy apologized and picked up her fallen book bag. "You gotta be careful around here."

"Thanks for the warning," Lexie muttered and retrieved her bag from his grasp. She opened her mouth to express her gratitude, but a couple of guys joined her offender and the group hustled towards the entrance of the school. "Ugh," Lexie rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure if she would be able to stomach these football goons. Only time would tell.

Lexie managed to stumble through her first three periods with little to no problem. Her teachers seemed tolerable, and she didn't have any more run-ins with football players. However, her fourth period was also lunch.

Social settings didn't usually rattle Lexie, but a social setting in high school was completely different from anything else she'd ever experienced. In junior high, they went to lunch as a class. They filed through the food line, sat together at one table, the whole nine yards. Sure, they'd thought it was lame then, but now as she set her book bag in her chair, Lexie realized that she didn't recognize a single person in her fourth period history class. How she wished she was back in junior high!

The only thing she could do was pray that she could pluck out a familiar face in the sea of students in the cafeteria. One companion to spend lunch with so that she wasn't the loser in a phone booth like on those cheesy after-school specials.

Lexie's steps slowed as she neared the rumble of the cafeteria. Her stomach filled with butterflies and she rest her trembling hand on the doorknob. _Suck it up,_ she chastised herself. _You're a part of this school now, so get in there and act like it!_ She took a deep breath and yanked the door open with feigned confidence.

The rush of noise nearly knocked her down. Lexie's eyes frantically moved about the crowded room. She couldn't spot a single person she knew. The freshman class consisted of over one hundred students, yet she couldn't spot a single person she recognized from last year. She briefly wondered if they were as nervous as she was.

"This is intense," a voice breathed beside her.

Lexie looked over, recognizing the brown, wavy haired girl from homeroom that morning. Lexie bit her lip, trying frantically to grasp the girl's name. Samantha? No, that wasn't it. Jennifer? No, that wasn't her either... Jo... Jo Wilson! Yes! Her name was Jo Wilson! "Tell me about it, Jo," Lexie replied quietly, hoping she hadn't confused the girl with someone else.

Jo looked over to her and smirked. "You remembered me, huh?" Her eyes had a teasing to them as she raised an eyebrow.

"I like your boots," Lexie nodded towards the black combat boots with brass buckles.

"Thanks," Jo smiled, looking down to her boots and admiring them for a moment. "Catch you later," she called over her shoulder as she spotted someone she obviously knew.

Jealousy surged in Lexie as she watched Jo drop into a seat across from an older girl with dirty blonde hair and a black wardrobe. Why couldn't Lexie be lucky enough to have a friend who was an upper classman?!

Fate must have been listening to her inner pleas, because as Lexie slowly trudged towards the lunch line to avoid having to decide to eat in a phone booth or hide in the bathroom until lunch was over, a red-haired girl bounced up to her. "Hey, you're Lexie Grey, right?" the voice chirped as green eyes widened expectantly.

"Uh, yeah," Lexie stuttered, not sure who on earth this girl was. Whoever she was, she seemed to know her first and last name. A bit unsettling, but maybe Lexie could have lunch with this girl. Once she remembered who the hell she was. "Hey, are you in my biology class?"

"No," the girl laughed and shook her head. "I'm April Kepner. I'm on the varsity squad, and you're my little sister."

Lexie's eyebrows shot up. "I'm your what?"

"You're my little sister," April repeated and grasped Lexie's wrist, leading her out of the lunch line. "Don't eat the food here, it's terrible. Plus, you'll be bogged down for practice this afternoon."

Lexie absently followed behind April as she was maneuvered through the crowds towards the back wall of the cafeteria. For the life of her, she couldn't remember _who_ April Kepner was! Was she one of the judges during cheer camp? Lexie's brows knit together as she tried desperately to remember her. After drawing a blank, she finally asked, "So you're my big sister? What does that mean?"

"Each year a member of the varsity squad adopts one of the junior varsity members to mentor," April explained. "We'll help you throughout the year, teach you extra routines, tips, things like that. Then, you can join us on varsity next year."

Lexie blinked. "I thought only juniors and seniors could be on varsity."

"I'm a sophomore," April beamed.

"And you're on varsity?" Lexie asked, her mouth dropping. Sure, she'd only gotten involved in cheer in the seventh grade, but even she knew that only the most talented girls were on the varsity squad. It normally took two years on junior varsity to make varsity. April Kepner had to be _really_ good.

"Yep," April grinned. "Arizona was my big sister last year, and she helped me _so_ much."

"Is Arizona a senior?" Lexie asked, feeling herself relax fractionally. Perhaps her mother hadn't been crazy after all. At least she could sit with her big sister at lunch, right?

"No, Arizona is a junior, and co-captain," April replied as she tugged Lexie towards a rectangle table packed with football players and cheerleaders. "She has her eye on you."

"Is that a good thing?" Lexie asked.

"That's a _very_ good thing," April smiled. "Hey, guys, this is Lexie. She's on junior varsity, but we know she's going to make varsity next year." The table of students waved and greeted Lexie while some of the guys whistled and one guy yelled something about 'fresh meat.' "Alex, cut that out," April frowned and slapped a brown-haired boy on the back of his head. "If you run off another freshman, I _will_ kill you."

"I'm just breaking her in," Alex grinned as he scooted over so that April and Lexie could sit beside him.

"Lexie, this is Alex Karev," April introduced. "His bark is bigger than his bite, I swear. This is Jackson Avery; he and Alex are both sophomores."

"Avery?" Lexie squeaked, her eyes settling on the guy before her. "Your mother is..."

"Yep," Jackson cut in. "Catherine Avery, urologist and chairman of the Harper Avery Foundation," he rolled his eyes.

"That must be so awesome!" Lexie exclaimed.

"Yeah, whatever," Jackson replied dryly with a shrug of his shoulders.

April leaned in to Lexie. "He doesn't really care for the medical profession," she whispered. "His mother and grandfather have been pushing him to be a surgeon since he was ten."

"He doesn't want to be one?!" Lexie whispered back. How could Jackson _not_ want to be a surgeon? With a name like Avery, he could have his pick of any field out there!

"No," April replied. "He wants to play professional football." She cleared her throat. "We don't really talk about his family."

"Got it," Lexie nodded. She couldn't really blame Jackson for that; after all, she had the same last name as a two-timing world famous surgeon.

"Moving on," April chirped and motioned to another boy who appeared older than Jackson and Alex. "This is Owen Hunt and that's Derek Shepherd, he's the quarterback."

"Great hair," Lexie murmured as she took Derek in. He was drop dead gorgeous. Flowing, dark hair that framed his face, clear skin, and soulful eyes.

"I know, right?" April giggled. "Derek's a senior; so is Owen. Next you've got..."

"Do I know you?" one of the other players interrupted.

Lexie's eyes shifted to the ground. She had tried to ignore the blue-eyed boy who'd nearly run her over earlier that morning. "Not really," she squeaked, then cleared her throat. "You just trampled me this morning on my way inside."

"Oh, good going, Mark," a dark haired girl seated beside Mark laughed and slapped his shoulder.

Mark glanced over to the girl beside him, then turned his gaze back to Lexie. "I'm sorry about that," he apologized half-heartedly.

"It's fine," Lexie shrugged as Jackson and Alex chuckled. Her eyes moved to the girl beside Mark...the girl Mark had his arm draped over casually. "Are you a cheerleader too?"

"Yeah, right," the girl scoffed. "Not in this lifetime."

April smiled a tight smile towards the girl, then leaned in to Lexie again. "That's Callie Torres," she whispered. "She's a junior, and...well...she's _that_ type of girl."

Lexie's brows knit together in confusion as her eyes traveled to Callie, who was currently whispering something in Mark's ear that made him grin wickedly. Lexie's gaze fixed on Mark's arm draped around Callie's frame. "_Ooohhh_," she nodded as the realization hit her. _That_ girl meant that Callie had probably been with every guy on the team. Twice.

"Hey, cut that out," Alex frowned. "What have I told you about gossiping?"

"It's not gossip if it's the truth," April defended herself as her cheeks flamed.

Alex opened his mouth to argue, then grinned instead. "Yeah, okay. But you make it sound worse than it really is."

"Whatever," April rolled her eyes and reached under the table, retrieving a pink lunch bag. "Here, Lexie, I made this for you."

Lexie looked down to the small container thrust in front of her. "You-you made my lunch?" she stuttered, looking to April as if she were insane.

"Yeah, what's the problem?" April asked.

Lexie swallowed hard. Her mother had stopped packing her lunches when she entered junior high. Why on earth would this sophomore pack her lunch? "I just...I mean, thanks, but..."

"I think she wants to know when you became her mommy," Jackson smirked, snatching the bag from April. "Got anything good in here?"

"Not for you!" April snipped and retrieved her bag quickly. She turned slightly so that she faced Lexie. "I'm sure all of the other junior varsity girls are loading up on this junk they call food. Their energy will spike, but then they'll crash at practice this afternoon. That's your chance to shine."

Lexie considered her big sister's words-she had a point. "Okay, fine, but what is this?" she asked, looking to the container.

"Chicken salad on a whole wheat pita with a side salad," April replied. "There's also a protein bar in there that I want you to eat before you change for practice, okay?"

"Got it," Lexie nodded as she lifted the sandwich to her nose and sniffed. It smelled great. After taking a bite, she realized it was low-fat mayo, but she could deal with it. "Thanks for rescuing me," she spoke quietly to April. "I was really intimidated."

"Freshman year is always scary, especially on the first day," April smiled. "Besides, when your friend moved to the goth table, I was afraid you were going to follow her, so I knew I had to get you soon!"

"The goth table?" Lexie questioned and raised an eyebrow. Were there seriously stereotypes in this school? Didn't that die out in the nineties?

"You didn't see them?" April asked, clearly astonished. "The ones in black?" She extended her hand, pointing to a table in the center of the cafeteria. There was a group of about six teenagers at the end of the rectangle table, and all of them were wearing black. "Meredith has on black lipstick! How gross!"

Lexie's eyes settled on the group of...well, goths. She hated admitting it, but April was right. The group of teens fit the mold of a goth. "They don't look that bad."

April made a noise of disgust and shook her head. "I'm so glad I rescued you from them."

Lexie watched as Jo and the other girl, Meredith she guessed, were talking and laughing. They seemed oblivious to the intimidating social setting. They were just hanging out and having a good time. "Who's that?" she asked as a tall red-haired girl passed the table of goths. The girl could easily be twenty. She obviously came from money because she was in heels and carried a Louis Vuitton handbag that was probably worth at least a grand. Who wore heels and brought a Louis Vuitton bag to high school? Seriously!

"Hey, Derek!" Alex called as he and Jackson started to chuckle.

"Your owner is coming," Jackson whooped. "You better sit up straight!"

"That's Addison Montgomery," April whispered as the girl drew near. "She's a senior, Derek's girlfriend, and..."

"Leader of The Bitch Clique," Alex smirked.

"The Bitch Clique?" Lexie questioned, looking between the three.

"Think _Mean Girls_, but with money," Jackson stated before leaning back so that he could catch a glimpse of Addison's ass as she walked by.

"Derek, I thought you were going to sit with us today," Addison pouted as she stood behind Derek and rested her hands on his shoulders. She leaned down to his ear. "I miss you," she purred, running perfectly manicured nails through his hair.

Derek's eyes darted around the table as practically every one of his teammates had their tongues wagging at his girlfriend. He hated when Addison made him look like a trained poodle in front of his team. He wasn't sure if she did it on purpose, or if she just came to the table of jocks to get all the attention. "Was that today, sweetie?" he asked, forcing some pep into his tone. "Mark and I were discussing strategy, and I lost track of the time."

"It's okay," Addison replied and stepped back so that Derek could stand. "See you boys later." Her fingers twined with his as she lead him over to her table. "I want you to meet Nay's cousin Stephanie."

Derek forced a smile onto his face. Of course. It was always Addison's way or the highway. He really should break up with her. Really. The only thing was..they'd been dating for over two years. They'd met each other's families, spent spring vacations together, and..they were each other's first time. There was a history there. Not to mention that Addison's wealthy family would help him get an internship at any law firm in Seattle. It didn't hurt knowing the right people.

Still though, that wasn't the right reason to stay with someone. Besides, Addison treated him more like her property than her boyfriend. She checked in on him constantly and was at his side after every football game, mostly to keep an eye on him. Plus, she'd started showing up at the football after-parties. Football was the one thing he had seperate from her, but now she was slowly infiltrating her way into _his_ area. He really just needed some space.

Derek's thoughts faded away as he passed a certain table that always managed to keep his eye. Meredith was looking at him; she formed her fingers into a 'L' shape and purposely looked at Addison. Derek stuck his tongue out at her playfully before continuing behind Addison. "Hey Naomi, hey Reed," Derek greeted as they reached the table of The Bitch Clique. He hated the nickname for the girls, but...he supposed it applied. They _were_ bitches.

"Hey, Derek," the girls chimed in and smiled at him.

"Stephanie, this is Derek," Addison introduced, resting her free hand on Derek's forearm. "He's the quarterback of the football team."

"Nice to meet you," Stephanie replied, her eyes sweeping up and down Derek.

"Likewise," Derek said through gritted teeth. Stephanie would fit in perfectly with Addison, Naomi, and Reed. She was quiet, but her body language exuded confidence. His gaze moved over to Naomi. "What took you so long to tell us about your cousin, Nay?"

Naomi shrugged and smiled. "I never expected my aunt and uncle to move to Seattle. Mom's been working on them for years, but...I never thought it would happen."

"That makes two of us," Stephanie muttered and took a drink of her bottle of Perrier.

"So where are you from?" Derek asked politely as he and Addison sat down.

"The east coast," Stephanie replied. "New York City, actually." Her lip sneered as she spoke. Her distaste for Seattle was evident. She yawned dramatically and scanned the cafeteria, then did a double take. "Who is _that_?" she asked, her eyes settling on a boy across the room.

"Who?" Addison asked, turning and craning her neck.

"Him," Stephanie motioned. "That football player...number twelve. He's _gorgeous_."

"Oooohhh!" Addison exclaimed. "That's Jackson Avery!"

"Avery?" Stephanie asked, her eyebrow raising. "As in Harper-Avery?"

"Yes, as in Harper-Avery," Derek frowned. Sure, Jackson was only a sophomore, but he felt protective of the guy. Jackson had made it clear the first day of football camp that he didn't want anyone showing him special treatment because of his last name. So, the upper classmen had shoved him in the dirt more than anyone else. And Jackson loved every minute of it. You had to respect him for it. Jackson came from money and fame, but he didn't think the world owed him like these girls did.

"Is he single?" Stephanie asked as she propped her chin in her palm.

"Is he, Derek?" Addison asked.

Derek shrugged. "I don't know, we never got to that topic at our slumber party."

Addison gave him a disapproving frown, then looked to Stephanie. "You should totally go out with him!"

"I don't know, Addy," Naomi spoke up. "I think he's seeing someone..." She wasn't sure, but Jackson and that cheerleader seemed very chummy in drama class.

"You think so?" Stephanie asked, ignoring her cousin.

"I do!" Addison exclaimed. "You're a freshman, so your rep needs all the help it can get."

"Hanging with us will help with that, right, Addison?" Reed pointed out.

"Yes, but...dating a sophomore will help even more," Addison reasoned. "And then once you factor in that Jackson is a football player _and_ an Avery...you'll be off the charts!"

Derek cringed. He hated it when Addison got an idea and ran with it before checking to make sure it was a plausible idea. "Jackson doesn't have time for a girlfriend; he's a football player."

"So are you," Stephanie replied.

"I'm also a senior, and the quarterback," Derek pointed out. "I'm at the top of my game. Jackson still has to work his way up."

"Oh, Derek, don't be silly," Addison laughed. "Aren't you guys practicing after school today? Maybe we could come by and watch."

"Yeah, whatever," Derek shrugged. He couldn't stop Addison, but he should at least warn Jackson. "Speaking of, I gotta go," he stuttered as Meredith caught his eye. "Coah wants to see me before lunch is over."

"Okay, we'll see you this afternoon," Addison smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Love you!"

"Love you too," Derek mumbled as he left the table and casually followed Meredith out of the cafeteria. "That wasn't nice of you to call me a loser," he teased as Meredith opened her locker to retrieve her English book.

Meredith shut her locker and leaned against it as she clasped her book to her chest. "I call them like I see them," she replied with sass.

Derek smiled and watched Meredith toss her hair over her shoulder, clearly imitating Addison. Something about Meredith got to him; she intrigued him. Derek had met Meredith this time last year; on the first day of school to be exact. Meredith was struggling with her locker. When she'd finally managed to pry it open, her books went flying to the floor. Derek had witnessed everything and offered his help. In that moment, that flicker of assistance, something clicked between the two of them. They had a slow, brooding friendship that had developed into something really great. "Can I walk you to your class?"

"Will Addison allow it?" Meredith smirked.

Derek shrugged. "Who cares?" He took a step forward, watching Meredith fall in step next to him.

Meredith bit her lip, trying to stop the words from leaving her tongue. Obviously she didn't do a very good job, because they came tumbling from her mouth before she could stop herself. "Why do you let her treat you like that?" she blurted out.

"What?" Derek asked, stopping and looking at her incrediously.

Meredith sighed. "I didn't mean to...I'm sorry..."

Derek caught her arm, stopping her from walking. "What are you getting at, Meredith?"

Meredith shrugged. "It's just...she treats you like she owns you, Derek. She does't respect you, or value you. She just snaps a whip, and you come running."

"I don't come running," Derek frowned as they began walking again.

Meredith managed to keep her tongue as he walked her to her English class. "Thanks for walking with me."

"No problem," Derek smiled, glancing to the name above the classroom door. "Oh, you've got Wilkins."

"Yeah, any tips?" Meredith asked, looking to him hopefully.

"He loves long, detailed answers," Derek advised. "Know your stuff and give him a paragraph answer, and he'll pass you with flying colors."

"Thanks," Meredith smiled and turned towards the door. "Hey, Derek," she called, turning back to him.

"Yeah?" Derek asked, stopping to turn and look back at her.

"You totally come running," Meredith teased before ducking into the classroom.

Derek chuckled to himself and shook his head. Maybe this year could be a year of change for him.


	2. Chapter 2 - Past & Present

Chapter 2 - Past & Present

"Hey, April, wait up."

April turned from gathering her books; she'd always recognize the voice of her best friend. "What's up, Alex?" she asked as she retrieved her purse and slipped her pens and pencils inside before zipping it closed.

"Are you coming to watch practice today?" Alex asked, relaxing back against the desk beside April's.

"Yes, Lexie is going to be there," April replied as she pulled her purse onto her shoulder and began gathering her books. "Arizona and I are going to see where we can give her pointers, you know. We want her on varsity next year. Arizona will probably get captain, I'll be co-captain, and we can get Lexie in line to be co-captain when I'm captain."

Alex nodded obediently, though his mind had been lost on about the second 'captain' word. Weeks earlier April had been excited about a new freshman cheerleader that she and Arizona Robbins believed had 'great potential.' Of course, Alex had only been half listening; if the cheerleaders weren't jumping around on the field or wearing their uniforms to school, he really wasn't that interested in them. Usually he would have tuned April out completely, but she was his best friend, so he at least had to _half_ listen to her.

Alex and April had grown up across the street from each other in a small town called Moline, Ohio. It was so small of a town that it only had one convenience store, and you had to drive sixty miles just to reach a WalMart. Moline was basically just a group of houses and a few farms thrown in the mix. The thing about small towns was that there was a strong sense of unity. However, that wasn't what had bonded Alex and April. Something clicked in them when they were merely children, and it had managed to grow as they grew older.

Alex and April were five years old when their friendship was established. It was a random thing, but April was sitting in her front yard making mudpies when a huge worm burst through her creation. April began wailing, and Alex ran across the street to see what was wrong. He promptly pulled the worm from her pie and stomped it to a pulp.

At least, that was the story Karen Kepner, April's mother, told them. April refused to believe that she had _ever_ made mudpies.

However their friendship came about, Alex and April were inseperable throughout elementary school. Their friendship became more difficult to maintain when the Kepner clan moved to a farm five miles away when April was eight. The thing about Alex Karev was that he had a core of persistence, and he would not have something taken from him. The young boy would come home from school, hop on his bike, and ride five miles to April's home. Joe Kepner would usually take him home in the Kepner station wagon because April couldn't stand the thought of her friend being splattered on his way home. The town of Moline had a speed limit of thirty-five and consisted of less than twenty-five cars, but yeah, Alex would get splattered by the bustling five o'clock traffic. Ah, the innocence of youth.

The last year of junior high was when everything was nearly ripped from the best friends forever. Alex's mother began showing signs of psychosis. In a small town like Moline, word spread quickly, and the children teased him at school. Alex got into a lot of fights and was nearly expelled from school. There was also talk of juvenile detention. Alex's grades started slipping, and it came out in a parent/teacher conference one day that Alex was taking on most of the responsibility at home. Alex was the one who was making sure his mother wasn't hurting herself. Alex was the one who was hiding the knives, throwing away the wire hangers, and making his siblings wear unlaced shoes. He had taken on more responsibility than any twelve year old should ever have to.

While his father became the town drunk.

Joe and Karen had suspicions about what could be happening in the Karev house, but they refused to jump to conclusions or listen to rumors until they had proof. One night during Christmas break of their eighth grade year, Alex turned up at the Kepner house with a fresh purple bruise on his right cheek. Joe immediately notified the authorities and phoned a personal friend in Columbus.

Alex and his siblings were removed from the Karev house and placed in temporary foster care. Alex's mother was committed to a permanent psychiatric unit while his father was given a twelve month sentence for child abuse.

April cried for nights on end. She couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and basically couldn't function without her best friend. Her world nearly crumbled when Alex's aunt from Iowa was notified of the family tragedy and came to take the three Karev children to Iowa. Alex refused to leave with her; he promptly informed his aunt that he'd rather stay at a foster home in Ohio than move away from his best friend.

Joe, Karen, and Alex's aunt, Joyce, sat down to discuss the situation the pre-teens had put them in. Joe and Karen agreed to be Alex's guardians if Joyce would permit it. Joyce was a single thirty year old with no children of her own, so she was thankful for the assistance. At least now she was only responsible for keeping two young people alive.

The best friends were united once again! Alice was mad for weeks because she had to give up her room and bunk with Kimmie so that Alex could have his own room; she eventually got over it, and Alex became the brother that none of the Kepner girls had. He fit in with them perfectly; he picked on Libby as if she were his older sister and defended Kimmie and Alice as if they were his younger sisters. Things were finally good again.

Alex learned to treasure the moments of goodness; he had already learned in his short amount of time on earth that things could shatter in the blink of an eye.

And shatter they did.

Joe Kepner lost his job, and Karen didn't make enough as a school teacher to afford the farm. Honestly, she didn't make enough to support their family, and the small town of Moline wasn't hiring. Luckily, Joe's brother was a real estate broker in Seattle who knew of an affordable home and a factory position for Joe and an elementary teaching position for Karen. Once getting through the red tape of Alex's guardian papers, the Kepner family picked up and moved to Seattle the summer before freshman year.

It had been a life saving move for Alex. He no longer had to worry about his crazy mother or abusive father. Sure, he missed his brother and sister like crazy, but they were enjoying Iowa and loved Joyce to pieces.

Alex fit in better in Seattle. He'd jumped right out and joined the football team, so he instantly had a group of guys he could hang with. Not that he didn't love April, he just...needed some testosterone. The Kepner house was an estrogen overload.

Alex shook the memories from his head and watched April fumble with her books. "Oh, give me that," he rolled his eyes and adjusted his back pack on his shoulder and scooped up his friend's books. "I've told you a million times to just get a damn back pack," he nagged as they walked from the computer lab.

"No way," April frowned. "I'm not missing practice because of an injury."

Alex looked over to her with a raised eyebrow. "A back pack will not give you an injury."

"I'm not taking the risk," April replied and dug around in her purse, pulling out some lip gloss and running it over her lips. "You know, people are going to think we're together if you keep carrying my books."

"Yeah right," Alex snorted. "I love you too much to date you."

"What does _that_ mean?" April frowned as she glared over at him.

"It means I know too much about you," Alex replied and draped his arm around her shoulders as they walked towards April's locker. "I've seen you pig out at a chick flick, scream at me when you're hormonal, and nag at me for leaving the toilet seat up. No romance here, babe."

April looked over to him. "Oh, really? What about the time I walked in and you were..."

"I was not!" Alex cut her off.

"Okay," April giggled as they reached her locker and she began spinning the pink combination lock. "Do you have any homework tonight?"

"Not on the first night," Alex frowned, leaning against the locker beside hers. "Why, do you?"

"I'm getting a head start on biology," April replied as she eased the books from Alex's hands and stuffed them into her locker.

"Nerd," Alex teased.

"We'll see if you say that when I'm a doctor," April smirked as she retrieved her biology textbook. "What are you looking at?" she frowned as she followed Alex's gaze. "Oh," she whispered, hanging her head.

Coming down the hall with their heads held high were Addison, Naomi, Reed, and Stephanie. The students literally parted so The Bitch Clique could move through.

April rambled in her locker, trying to appear distracted, but her gaze shifted to Reed.

On the first day of her freshman year, April had met Reed Adamson in homeroom. Reed had also moved to Seattle from California, so the two girls bonded over feeling like interlopers in the school of kids who had known each other since kindergarten.

Freshman year had been a bit awkward. Sure, April was developing friendships with the cheerleaders, but she didn't really feel like she belonged in their social groups. She was a bit quiet, and some considered her nerdy. It was almost an oxymoron that she was even a cheerleader. There weren't many geek cheerleaders after all. Despite all of her insecurities with the cheerleaders, April didn't feel insecure around Reed. Probably because Reed was a lot like her; Reed was also focused on her grades, and she was quiet by nature as well. The two became very good friends.

The summer after freshman year, Reed and April decided that sophomore year was going to be _their_ year. They were going to break out of that geek mold and truly fit in with the other classmen. The girls spent the summer devouring fashions magazines and searching the internet for make up tutorials. By the time July rolled around, they knew what clothes to wear, the perfect accessories to accentuate their outfits, how to style their hair, and how to perfect the smokey eye. They were ready for sophomore year!

Deep down inside, April believed that the transformation is what gave her the courage to truly shine. During freshman year, she knew that she was better than the other members of the junior varsity squad. Her moves were more precise, more sharp, and her tumbling was top notch. The physical make-over gave her the boost to try out for varsity, and not only did she make varsity squad as a sophomore, she'd also bonded with the other cheerleaders.

Reed's make-over had worked wonders for her as well, but not in the positive sense.

One day while April was at cheer camp, Reed was shopping at a local boutique when the soon to be senior Addison Montgomery was picking out an outfit for the first day of school. Her father, The Captain, had lavished her with a new credit card with a thousand dollar limit, and Addison wanted everyone in school to know just how important she was. Reed had made an off-hand comment about pink not being a good color since Addison had red hair; instead, she suggested a blouse that worked with Addison's skin tone and complimented her red locks.

That's all it took.

Addison Montgomery considered Reed someone worthy of her attention, so Reed had become a member of The Bitch Clique that very moment.

And Reed never cast April a second thought. She ignored April's calls and texts, and eventually, April got the picture. It wasn't until the first day of school that April realized exactly _what_ had taken Reed's attention.

April bit her lip, glancing over to her former friend as the group moved past her locker. "Hey, Reed!" she called, hoping her friend would respond. April didn't know why she was even bothering-Reed had ignored her that morning during geometry, so why would she speak to her now?

Reed flinched slightly as she heard April's desperate call. A small part of her wanted to at least speak to her former friend, but...well, things were different now. April had to understand that. It wasn't anything personal, it was just... they'd grown apart over the summer. April had her cheer friends, and now she had Addison, Naomi, and Stephanie. She was finally getting noticed now! She wasn't the loser geek anymore; she was now one of the populars, and that meant _everything_ in high school. April would just have to realize that.

Reed still felt guilty though. Mere weeks ago she and April had been inseparable. Now, they weren't even speaking...

"Reed!" Addison screeched.

"Huh?" Reed asked, looking over to her new friend.

"I said do you have any classes with Jackson?" Addison repeated, her annoyance evident.

Reed racked her brain. "Actually, I do," she spoke up. "We have Geometry together sixth period."

"Have you heard anything about him having a girlfriend?" Addison asked as the four girls stopped at Naomi's locker.

"No, but he was talking to Charles about the game Friday," Reed rolled her eyes.

"Hmmm," Addison mused as she pulled out her cell and checked her calendar. "It will be hard to get Jackson's attention at the game..."

"I'm sure I could get his attention," Stephanie smirked.

"No you couldn't, Steph," Naomi assured her. "Those guys only think about football on Fridays, trust me."

"Well, this sucks," Stephanie pouted. "Jackson's only going to be single for like five more minutes. He's too hot not to have a girlfriend!"

"Wait a minute!" Addison exclaimed and snapped her fingers. "I've got it! The mixer!"

"Oh yeah," Reed chimed in.

"The mixer?" Stephanie asked, looking between the three upper classmen.

"The first Saturday after school starts the cheerleaders throw a mixer for the freshman," Addison exclaimed as Naomi closed her locker and the group started towards the football field. "It's this really lame thing to make everyone feel more comfortable." She rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"But," Reed added, "the football players usually come to support the cheerleaders since the cheerleaders fundraise for their uniforms and stuff."

"Damn," Stephanie fumed. "If I'd been a damn cheerleader, I'd have much more time with Jackson!"

"He doesn't even pay attention to the cheerleaders," Addison assured her with a wave of his hand.

"How do you know?" Stephanie asked as the girls reached the bleachers.

"Derek doesn't," Addison replied smugly.

"Derek's afraid to," Naomi teased as the girls sat down on the first row. "This is my favorite part of the day."

"Tell me about it," Reed giggled. "These guys are _so_ hot!" Reed loved it that Addison was dating the quarterback; it was such fun to see the guys without their shirts on. "Ooohh, Steph, there's Jackson." She elbowed the younger girl and pointed as Jackson was pulling off his shirt.

"What are you doing?!" Naomi hissed as Stephanie stood and whistled sharply at Jackson.

"Seriously?!" Reed exclaimed as Jackson looked their direction and Stephanie winked at him and gave him a thumbs up.

"The girl's got balls," Addison grinned. "I like it."

"I told you he'd notice me," Stephanie smirked as she returned to her seat.

The girls giggled as Addison scanned the football field. "Do you see Derek?" she asked, shielding her eyes from the sun. "I swear, I don't see him..."

"Maybe he got hung up in Physics," Naomi suggested as she stood to search the field. "You know that Professor Carter is like a nazi."

"Is that him?" Reed asked, pointing across the field. "Coming out of the athletic building?"

Derek hurried from the athletic building in his jogging pants and tshirt. "Sorry, Coach!" he called as he joined the rest of the team.

"Shepherd!" Coach O'Malley barked. "What took you so long?!"

"Professor Carter held us a few minutes to pass out the syllabus," Derek explained.

Coach O'Malley raised an eyebrow. "You lying to me, Shepherd?"

"No, Coach," Derek replied.

The Coach studied him another few seconds. "Alright, get started on your laps." He'd obviously have to have a talk with the Professor. If Shepherd wasn't on time, it wouldn't be long before the rest of the team thought they could slack as well. "Since Shepherd is late, you can all do five extra laps." Coach O'Malley smiled when the team groaned.

Derek started to jog when a familiar face caught his eye in the bleachers. He smiled widely and waved to Meredith Grey.

Meredith smiled slightly and threw her hand up casually in return. She couldn't have Derek thinking she'd come to gawk at him or something. "What?" she asked as her best friend gave her a suspicious look.

"Is that why you wanted to come to practice?" Cristina Yang asked with raised eyebrows.

"No," Meredith replied defensively.

"You're a terrible liar," Cristina smirked as her gaze shifted back to the field. "You're not the school spirit type."

"He helped me with English," Meredith shrugged. "I thought I should support him."

Cristina studied her for a moment. "Is this the guy you've been crushing on since last year?"

"Ssshhhh!" Meredith hissed, swatting at her friend. "Keep your voice down!"

Cristina fell over on the bleachers, laughing hysterically. "You're crushing on a football player!" she cackled.

Meredith picked up her literature book. "I'm going to kill you!" she exclaimed and swatted her friend with the book.

Meredith considered Cristina Yang her best friend, but at times like this, she could murder the girl with her bare hands. Meredith and Cristina had been friends since second grade. Cristina and her family transferred to Seattle when Cristina was little. Unfortunately, the school yard isn't very forgiving of anyone who is different, especially when that person has dark eyes and dark hair.

One day during recess, Meredith witnessed the bully Billy Thompson tormenting a small girl. He was circling her, pulling her pigtails, and calling her names. A fire lit up in Meredith, and she tackled the boy, beating him until he screamed like a baby and ran away.

Come to find out, Meredith had just saved Cristina Yang. The two were the best of friends from that second forward.

They'd both grown up to be very different people, but they still managed to have an unshakable friendship. Meredith was a bit softer around the edges now while Cristina was no longer the delicate girl her mother had tried to turn her into. Cristina was biting and sarcastic, and Meredith loved her for it.

Unless Cristina was directing that sarcasm towards her. Then Meredith wanted to kill her.

"Meredith has a crush on the quarterback," Cristina cackled.

"Shut the hell up!" Meredith exclaimed, clamping her hand over Cristina's mouth. "He has a girlfriend!" she hissed when Cristina's teasing had subsided into giggles.

Cristina pulled Meredith's hand from her mouth. "A girlfriend...she wouldn't happen to be tall and beautiful with red hair now would she?"

Meredith felt a cold feeling settle in her stomach. "Yeah...why?"

Cristina's face went serious. "Then I'm guessing she's the one glaring at you right now."

Addison balled her fists at her sides; she literally saw red. Her boyfriend, _her_ boyfriend didn't even wave at _her_, but he waved at some skank dressed in black?! And she wasn't even pretty! Who in their right minds dressed in such a _horrid_ color? And wasn't the black streaks in her hair going a little far?

"Addison?" Naomi spoke calmly, watching the many shades of anger cross her friend's face. "Addie?" She reached out and touched her arm.

"Let's go," Addison spoke in a monotone voice. She turned on her heel and started stomping away. Reed and Stephanie sat for a second in a stunned shock. "Come on!" Addison exclaimed. The girls jumped to their feet and hurried after her as her heels clanked down the bleacher steps. "Excuse me!" Addison barked as she banged into a younger dark-haired girl.

"Sorry," Lexie murmured as she jumped out of the way of The Bitch Clique. What was it with the people at this school?! The trampled all over you and acted like _you_ were the problem. Lexie jarred as her name was called. She looked around frantically before locating April in the stands with a blonde haired girl beside her. April waved her over, so Lexie jogged over to the bleachers.

"Hey, this is Arizona," April introduced quickly.

"Hey, nice to meet you," Lexie smiled.

"Likewise," Arizona greeted. "I saw your tryout, and I think you'd be great on varsity next year. We're just gonna watch and see what areas April needs to start working with you on, okay?"

"Sounds easy enough," Lexie replied, though her nerves were settling in. They were going to judge her? She didn't like being judged.

"Just relax," Arizona smiled. "We know you're going to do great!" She gave Lexie a bright smile and a big thumbs up. "She was the one who was great at tumbling, right?" Arizona asked after Lexie joined the rest of the junior varsity squad on the field.

"Right," April replied. "I think she's small enough though that she could be a great flyer."

"_You_ should be a flyer," Arizona retorted as she pulled out two bottles of water from her bag and passed one to April.

"You know I can't," April replied.

"You could if you'd trust us," Arizona reasoned.

"I don't trust anyone," April replied quietly and watched Lexie's practice.

Over all, the girl was good. It was obvious that she hadn't cheered her whole life like some of the other girls on the squad, but with a little polishing, Lexie Grey had the potential to be an excellent cheerleader.

"Uh oh," Arizona mumbled half an hour later.

"What?" April asked, looking over to the co-captain.

"Look," Arizona said as she pointed onto the field.

April's eyes scanned the field. "Oh no," she frowned seeing that one of the players had stopped and had his focus on Lexie.

Mark Sloan. Mark Sloan, of all people, was watching Lexie.

"I don't like this," Arizona stated.

"Me either," April frowned. "Lexie mentioned something at lunch today about him running into her or something."

"That sounds like Mark," Arizona said as her brows knit together. "We've got to warn her. She's just a piece of meat to him."

Mark Sloan was well known around the halls of the school. He was a mother's worst nightmare. He said whatever he could to get a girl into bed with him, then he'd dump her the next day. Mark saw himself as a true casanova, but in reality, too many girls had cried over him already. He didn't care how much he hurt them, he was just racking up a scorecard.

"Do you want me to get Alex to talk to him?" April asked, watching as Mark finally turned and headed back towards the athletic building with the rest of the team.

"No, not yet," Arizona advised. "If he thinks we don't want him with her..."

"She'll be the first one he goes after," April finished.

"Keep a watch on them at lunch," Arizona instructed as her gaze moved back to Lexie. "We'll get her involved in some weight classes after school too."

"Anything to keep her busy," April agreed, nodding. Lexie seemed like a sweet girl. Good, honest, and focused; the exact type of girl Mark Sloan loved to prey upon. "Oh crap."

"What?" Arizona asked, looking over to her.

"What about the mixer Saturday?"

Arizona closed her eyes for a moment. "We'll figure something out." She wasn't going to let Mark Sloan run off another perfectly good cheerleader.


	3. Chapter 3 - School Spirit

Chapter 3 - School Spirit

"Good job today, team!" Coach O'Malley called after blowing his whistle to round up the players. "The Chargers are going to have one hell of a game on their hands Friday night! Hit the showers!" He blew his whistle again to dismiss the team.

Derek mopped his face with a towel, then glanced towards the bleachers. Meredith and her friend were standing to leave, but this time Meredith seemed more enthusiastic about waving to him; that made Derek feel a little better. "Oh shit," Derek mumbled, his eyes scanning the bleachers frantically. Hadn't...hadn't Addison been there earlier? Where was she? "Hey, Mark!" Derek called as he jogged to catch up to his best friend.

"Yeah buddy?" Mark asked as he hung a towel around his neck and wiped sweat from his eyes.

"Was Addison here?" Derek asked, glancing to the bleachers.

Mark stopped walking and gaped at him. "Are you kidding me?" he asked, his brows knitting together. "You're actually _asking_ if Addison was here?"

"I was late," Derek lied. "I didn't really notice.." He wasn't about to tell his best friend that he'd been gawking at another girl, and _that_ was the reason his brain never logged Addison's presence.

"Yeah, she was here," Mark cut him off.

"Shit," Derek cursed again as he put his palm to his forehead.

"Dude, you really didn't notice her?" Mark asked as the two entered the locker room.

"No, I was late, remember?" Derek continued the lie as he moved to his locker, throwing open the door and reaching into his gym bag. "How pissed do you think she is?" he asked as he pulled out his cell and dialed Addison's number.

"Hard to say," Mark pondered, quirking his head to the side. "But it is safe to say you won't be getting any anytime soon." He grinned and tossed the towel at Derek before heading for the showers.

"Damnit!" Derek exclaimed as the phone went straight to voicemail; Addison was pissed enough that she had her phone turned off. Derek pulled the phone away from his ear and dialed again; why, he wasn't even sure, because he knew the phone was going to go right back to voicemail. Which it did. "Great," he muttered as he stuffed his phone back into his gym bag. "Just great!" He snatched a towel from the locker and stormed towards the showers.

"She didn't answer, did she?" Mark smirked as he soaped off.

"No," Derek frowned, turning on the water to full blast. For some strange reason, Addison was _really_ pissing him off right now. What could he have possibly done to make her so mad? Who knew with her...it was always one drama after another. Addison could break a nail and be upset for two days, minimum.

"Just forget about it," Mark suggested. "We're going to the sports center to shoot some pool and hang; why don't you come with us?"

"Yeah right," Alex spoke up as he turned his shower head off. "His master won't let him."

"At least my master is better than the hand job you're dating," Derek shot back and nodded to Alex's hand, causing the guys to erupt into taunts and laughter. Alex wrapped a towel around his waist and left the shower room mumbling something. Derek looked over to Mark as he soaped up. "You know I can't do that," he sighed. "I have to go to her house."

"Have to?" Mark asked as he rinsed and turned the shower head off. "You're in the 'have to' stage with Addie?"

Derek considered the thought. He'd been losing interest in Addison for a year now. It wasn't any one thing...it was just a slow fade. "Yeah, I guess so," he shrugged.

"Well hell," Mark grinned, "cut ties with her then. We'll take on this school together."

"I don't think I have enough condoms for that," Derek smirked and rinsed off, then wrapped a towel around his waist as he and Mark left the showers. "Do you think this is a flower or jewelry apology?"

"I think it's a break it off and meet us at the sports center event," Mark replied as he snatched some clothes from his locker. "Addie will be fine. She's like a cat; she'll land on her feet."

"She's more like satan," Derek muttered as he dressed quickly. "I'll stop by later if she's still pissed," he promised before ducking out of the locker room.

Derek's feet felt heavy as he started towards his Ford F-150. He didn't really want to patch things up with Addison. He knew it was the obligatory thing to do, but...he didn't _want_ to do it. Things had changed between him and Addison; they'd started out as similar people when they met sophomore year, but they'd grown apart. Addison had grown more materialistic while Derek liked to think he had developed some depth. The world didn't center around them simply because they came from wealthy parents. Just because the student body worshiped the ground they walked on didn't mean they were anything special. This was high school-you could be top dog today, but a mere rumor could send you to leper status within twenty-four hours. Money and football was not an immunity; and it certainly didn't give them the right to act high and mighty. Seattle High had existed long before Derek Shepherd and Addison Montgomery stepped foot into the halls, and it would continue existing long after they left. The walls wouldn't crumble simply because their wealth and popularity vacated the building.

Derek settled into the driver's seat of his truck, closed the door, and lay his forehead on the steering wheel. He was sounding more and more like Meredith every day.

Meredith.

The thought of her name brought a smile to Derek's face. He couldn't help it; something about her had gotten to him, gotten under his skin. Meredith was like...a breath of fresh air. He had been bogged down in the pressures of academics, the football team, and living up to the expectations of the Montgomery family. Then one day, a tiny freshman fell into his life and let him know that his status didn't mean a damn thing to her. Derek sighed heavily as he cranked his truck; he didn't know what was going on, but he had to remember where his bread was buttered, and unfortunately, that was with Addison. There was no way in hell his mother could afford law school. The only person who could even get him a summer internship before classes started was The Captain. "Let the brown nosing begin," Derek murmured to himself as he backed out of the parking spot and headed towards the Montgomery house.

It seemed like it took mere seconds for him to reach Addison's house. Derek had driven five miles under the speed limit, made sure to hit every red light possible, and had even taken the scenic route, yet it seemed that he was still pulling into Addison's driveway about six hours before he was ready. Hell, make that twelve hours before he was ready.

Maybe Mark was right; maybe he should just go ahead and end things with Addison. They hadn't had much of a relationship for the past six months. Sure, Derek loved Addison, but it wasn't a romantic love anymore; it was the kind of love that you had for your friend, but nothing more. Did he love her? Yes, absolutely. Was he _in_ love with her? Not anymore.

Derek sat in his truck for several minutes, his emotions pulling him back and forth like he was caught in an ocean current and being tossed around with no signs of a lifeguard. He finally forced himself to leave the truck, trudge to the front door, and knock. A part of him hoped Addison wouldn't answer the door.

Too bad luck wasn't on his side.

"Derek," The Captain greeted seconds later after opening the door. "I knew it wouldn't be long until you arrived."

"Yes, sir," Derek forced a polite smile on his face as he stepped into the three-story mansion. "Is Addison around?"

"Locked in her room," The Captain reported after closing the door. "Addison," he called, looking towards the staircase that wrapped from the foyer to the second floor. "Addison, Derek is here."

"She doesn't want to see anyone," Bizzy reported as she hurried down the stairs with a cocktail in hand.

"You mean she doesn't want to see _me_," Derek clarified.

Bizzy gave him an apologetic smile. "She said something about flirting with another girl." She shrugged and moved towards the den, her heels announcing her departure on the marble floor.

Derek had to stop himself from rolling his eyes; he knew The Captain was watching him closely. He took a breath before starting up the stairs; he had to at least make an attempt to smooth things over with Addison, but if he knew her like he thought he did, she'd refuse to open the door. "Addie!" he called as he stopped outside of her bedroom door. He reached for the knob and turned. Yep, locked. "Addison!" he repeated, knocking on the door. "Come on, open the door."

"No!" came the reply from inside.

"Addison, please," Derek sighed. "You've blown this way out of proportion!"

"I have not!" came a heightened shriek. "You didn't even see _me_, but you waved to her!"

"A wave is not a flirt," Derek pointed out. "She's my friend."

"She's obviously more than that!"

Derek sighed heavily and pushed away from the door. He wasn't going to grovel to her when he didn't do a thing wrong. "Okay, Addie, fine. If you want to stay in there, go for it. Call me when you're ready to talk." Derek walked down the hall and back down the stairs. "Goodnight," he nodded to her parents before exiting through the door he'd entered minutes earlier.

Addison threw open the door and ran to the top of the stairs. "Did he _leave_?!" she exclaimed.

"It seems he has," The Captain replied after he heard a vehicle crank up.

Derek pulled away from the Montgomery house without a second look back. Addison wasn't going to punish him when he'd done nothing wrong. He waved to a friend, that was all. He didn't tongue her in the stands or haul her onto the fifty yard line and do her right there. It was a simple, friendly wave.

Except, deep down in his core, Derek knew it wasn't that simple. Meredith was something...special. Different. Unique. Once you got past the black exterior, there was a brilliant girl beneath. Meredith was charming with a strong sense of morale. She didn't feel entitled to anything, despite her mother being a world-famous surgeon.

"Speak of the devil," Derek muttered as he slowed his truck to a stop at a red light. Right there in the middle of the corner Starbucks sat the lovely Meredith Grey. Before he even realized it, Derek was swinging his Ford out of the line of traffic. He was running on pure impulse; it would be nice to see Meredith outside of school. At least he didn't feel like he was being monitored since Addison was nowhere near. "Hey," he greeted after entering the coffee shop. "You don't strike me as the latte type."

"That's because I'm not," Meredith smirked as she looked up from her literature book. "You won't find a double whipped half fat anything in my cup."

"So what is your drink of choice?" Derek asked as he sat down across from her.

"Brewed, black," Meredith replied as she closed her book.

"Oh, really?" Derek asked, quirking his head. "You come into the countries most popular coffee chain to order plain, black coffee?"

"Yep, cause I'm a bamf like that," Meredith replied. "What brings you here? They don't serve gatorade."

Derek chuckled and looked down. "I was actually going to pick up a hazelnut macchiato for my sister."

"Aren't you sweet," Meredith remarked. "I figured it'd be for Addison. She seemed pretty pissed earlier..."

"She _is_ pissed," Derek sighed, "but she'll either live with it, or die with it."

"Right, cause we're only friends," Meredith stated firmly. She had to keep reminding herself of that; despite her crush on Derek, she had to keep things casual. He was, as her mother defined, a distraction. And Meredith didn't need any distractions right now. If she was going to follow in her mother's footsteps, she couldn't have anyone distracting her. Residency would be much harder if she was married, or worse, pregnant. She could have all the boyfriends, husbands, and children she wanted once she was established as a surgeon and perfecting her own Grey Methods. "See you later, Derek," she said abruptly and gathered her book, stuffing it into her bag.

"Where are you going?" Derek asked as she tossed her cup and walked out onto the sidewalk.

"A movie," Meredith answered as she started walking towards the theater a few blocks away. Cristina was being held captive by her mother, and Ellis was in surgery. Meredith didn't really feel like spending the night alone in that quiet house, so she decided to go solo to a movie. At least it would pass the time.

"Funny you say that," Derek spoke brightly, "because I was planning to see a movie tonight!"

Meredith looked over at him skeptically. "Look how that worked out."

"I know," Derek grinned.

"Aren't you afraid Addison has her spies out and about?" Meredith teased as she approached the theater and stood in line.

"I think she's too pissed to even have her spies out."

Meredith bit her lip. Sure, she'd been teasing Derek, but she guessed she should be being supportive. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nah, I'll be fine," Derek replied, then cringed when he heard his name called. He looked over towards the traffic light and saw Jackson Avery waving from his mustang. "Hey, Jackson!" he called back, waving back.

"Don't stay out too late, quarterback!" Jackson teased before the light changed green. Jackson double checked his rearview mirror as he headed home. That was definitely not Addison with Derek. Interesting. Perhaps he'd better hold on to that piece of information; this definitely didn't need to circulate the high school before the first game tomorrow night. If Addison found out and murdered Derek, they'd totally lose the game.

The next morning, Jackson raced into school seconds before the first bell rang. It would take him at least another week to get back into the routine of getting up at six am. He preferred sleeping until noon. And why did school start back on a Thursday anyway? That was stupid! Go to school two days, and then bam, the weekend. School should start on Mondays. Jackson entered his morning Spanish class just as the second bell rang. Mrs. Antonio wasn't even there yet; maybe she liked to sleep in as well. "Hey," Jackson greeted as he slid into a desk beside April Kepner.

"Good morning, Jackson," April smiled brightly and looked over at him. Her eyes wandered his jersey for a few seconds. Jackson always looked _so_ good in his jersey.

"Good morning, class," Mrs. Antonio spoke as she entered the class room. "Mis disculpas por llegar tarde. Does anyone know what I just said?"

April cringed when Reed's hand shot up. "Are you ready for the game tonight?" she whispered to Jackson, looking away from her former friend.

"I hope so," Jackson grinned, looking over to her. His eyes lingered on April for a moment. She had really changed this summer. "Hey," he whispered as April's attention moved back to Mrs. Antonio.

"Yeah?" April asked softly, shifting her gaze from the teacher to Jackson then back to the teacher.

"You look nice in your uniform," Jackson whispered back, grinning when April's cheeks flamed. "If you're not busy...maybe tonight after the game, we could..."

"Mr. Avery, Miss Kepner!" Mrs. Antonio snapped from the front of the class, causing the rest of the students to turn and look at the two jocks. "Would you like to enlighten us as to what is so important?"

"N-no-o," April stuttered, shrinking down into her seat.

Jackson's eyes met Mrs. Antonio's. "I was telling Señorita Kepner how nice she looked in her uniform," he spoke honestly. No sense in lying about it. April _did_ look nice in her cheerleader uniform.

"Oh my God," April cringed as their classmates started to giggle.

Mrs. Antonio smiled slowly. "Then perhaps you'd like to spend more time with Miss Kepner, Mr. Avery. And I have just the idea! The two of you can write a five page paper on the history of the Spanish language."

"But Mrs. Antonio!" April burst out. "We have a football game tonight, and the freshman mixer is tomorrow! We're not going to have time!"

"You will have to prioritize, Miss Kepner," Mrs. Antonio replied. "There are more important things in your life than games and parties. And now, you can write a ten pape paper."

Jackson's hand clamped over April's mouth as she moved to protest again. "Ten pages it is, Mrs. Antonio. Our apologies."

April snatched Jackson's hand from her mouth and glared at him before directing her attention to the teacher.

Jackson sat at his desk for the next forty-five minutes feeling like the world's biggest jerk. All he had to do was apologize to Mrs. Antonio, and she probably would have let them off the hook. But no. He'd totally let the jersey inflate his ego, and he'd gotten them a paper. "Hey, April, I'm really sorry about the whole report thing," he apologized after class was dismissed.

April quietly gathered her books and held them to her chest before glaring at him. "I'm not speaking to you," she informed him before throwing her hair over her shoulder and stomping out of the classroom.

"Wonderful," Jackson muttered before leaving the classroom himself. "April, wait!" he called, running after her.

"I'm serious, Jackson!" April exclaimed as he appeared at her side.

"April, I am _so_ sorry," Jackson pleaded. "I thought Mrs. Antonio could take a joke!"

"Obviously she can't," April frowned. "Now, I have to write a paper between a football game, the mixer, and church. You know, not everyone gets a free ride through school because of a jersey." She looked to him expectantly.

"Hey, at least you're talking to me," Jackson said hopefully, giving her a sheepish look. He swallowed hard when her gaze narrowed. "Okay, look, I'm really sorry. We can meet tomorrow morning to write the paper. I'll even get a head start on it tonight after the game." He leaned against the locker beside April's as she stuffed her Spanish book inside. "Come on, April, what do you say?"

April opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Mark. "Hey, Avery," Mark bellowed, passing by the two sophomores. "Making time with my favorite red head, huh?" Mark slapped April on the backside as he spoke.

"You know it," Jackson grinned as April shrieked. "What?" he gaped as she slammed her locker shut.

"I'm back to not speaking to you," April hissed before continueing up the hall and stomping towards her next class. "Sorry," she apologized as she banged into Owen Hunt as he darted out of a classroom.

"Sorry, Kepner," Owen apologized sincerely. "Pickens is trying to get me involved in tutoring, but she's going to make me late!"

"It's alright," April sighed. At least one football player knew how to behave.

"Everything okay?" Owen asked, his brows furrowing.

"Yeah," April shrugged, averting her gaze.

"You sure?" Owen asked, studying her face intently.

April sighed heavily. "Mark slapped me on the ass again," she frowned.

"He does it to all of the cheerleaders," Owen replied.

"It doesn't make it right!"

"Want me talk to him?" Owen offered as they approached April's history class.

"No, just forget it," April said with a wave of her hand. "I'm just having a bad day."

"You better pep up before the game tonight," Owen teased as April ducked into her class. "Karev!" he called as he spotted Alex up the hall. "You ready for the game tonight?"

"Hell yeah," Alex grinned. "I'm ready to send those Chargers home crying to their moms."

"That's the spirit," Owen clapped him on the back. "See you at practice."

"Later," Alex called as Owen stopped at his locker. "Shit," Alex cursed as the bell rang. He picked up speed, moving through the students quickly and rounding the corner. "Whoah!" he cried as he collided with a girl with wavy brown hair, promptly scattering all of her books across the hall.

"Thanks a lot, jerk," the girl snipped, bending to retrieve her things.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," Alex apologized as he knelt down to gather up her books.

"Well, if you had been looking where you were going, you might have!"

Alex frowned. "What the hell are you doing in the hall anyway?! Didn't you hear the bell?"

"Didn't _you_?"

"That might have been why I was hurrying," Alex snapped, passing the books into the girl's hands. For the first time, he noticed her. She had brown hair flowing down her shoulders, these gorgeous eyes, and a look that said she didn't take any shit. "Wow..."

"What?" the girl asked, standing slowly.

"You're a lot prettier than I expected," Alex blurted out, standing as well.

"Smooth," the girl rolled her eyes and slammed her locker shut.

"Hey, you got a name?" Alex asked as he started walking behind her.

The girl stopped outside of a classroom. "I only tell that to people who _don't_ run me over." She smiled sweetly and left him standing in the hall.

A slow grin curved Alex's face as he moved to his biology class. He spent the next two periods thinking of the mystery girl. He liked her; she had spunk and sass. Plus, she was a mystery, so that instantly made her sexy.

Luckily, when you were a football player, it was easy to gather information. And as luck would have it, Alex bumped into the freshman Lexie on his way to the cafeteria. Turned out, the girl he described was a freshman, and her name was Jo Wilson. Lexie pointed out Jo Wilson in the lunch line, and sure enough, that was the girl he had plowed into earlier. He'd have to make some time with her.

Tomorrow, at the mixer. Today though, he was focused on the game.

"Sloan, Shepherd, you ready?!" Alex asked he sat at the jock table and swiped a carrot stick from April. "What?!" he asked when April punched him.

"I'm sick of you guys running over me!"

Alex studied his friend for a moment. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"She's pissed at me," Jackson spoke up as he plunked his tray down across from April and sat down. "I got us a five page paper assigned in Spanish." His eyes moved over to April. "And then someone got us ten."

April's eyes widened as she looked at Jackson. "Alex," she spoke, moving her gaze to her best friend. "Would you tell your team mate..."

"What, I don't even have a name?" Jackson spoke up.

April grit her teeth. "Would you tell your team mate," she continued, "that I couldn't have gotten us ten pages assigned if _he_ hadn't gotten us a report assigned to begin with?!"

"Oh, come on, April!" Jackson exclaimed. "I said I was sorry like a hundred times!"

Alex watched as April promptly stood, disposed of her lunch tray, and left the cafeteria. "Forget about it," he said as Jackson stood to follow her. "She'll be fine."

"You sure?" Jackson asked, sitting back down.

"Yeah," Alex nodded. "I've done tons of crap to her over the years, and we're still friends."

"I hope you're right," Jackson murmured. He put his worries about April to the back of his mind. He'd have to suck up to her later. He needed to focus on the game; this was his first game outside of freshman football, and he couldn't let his team down.

* * *

"Offense...offense...offense," April and Arizona cheered later that night. Seattle High was tied, and there were only ten minutes left in the game. All they needed was one touchdown! Just one! Six points, and they could seal their first victory!

The crowed started yelling as Shepherd was sacked again.

"Attack," Arizona called after the captain whispered in her ear.

The cheerleaders lined up, yelling their crowd cheer to distract the crowd from the game. Only half of the crowd participated while the other half was yelling pointers to the players.

"Pride," Arizona called as the girls faced their team.

"Tiger pride! Tiger pride! Our teams the best, let's show our pride!"

"Again!" Arizona called as the players started looking their way. The cheerleaders continued chanting, encouraging their players from the sidelines. "They're bringing Jackson back in!" Arizona squealed as the teams returned to the field.

"Ugh," April rolled her eyes and dropped her pom-poms.

"What's your problem?" Arizona frowned, looking over to April. "He's awesome offense!"

"Yeah, just ask him," April snipped.

Arizona knudged April in the ribs. "What gives?"

"He got us in trouble today," April explained. "We have to do a ten page report on the history of the Spanish language."

"Who cares?" Arizona asked. "Don't even think about that! You are a cheerleader! It's your duty to cheer on your team! If Jackson can score a touchdown, we win! Who cares if he got you some stupid homework." She smacked April with her pom-pom. "Where's your school spirit! Cheer your team on!"

"Fine!" April exclaimed, snatching up her pom-poms. "Touchdown, let's score let's score! Touchdown, let's score six more!"

The cheer faded as the cheerleaders began jumping and squealing as Jackson neared the endzone. He was tackled a mere fifteen yards away.

"Come on, Jackson!" came cries from the girls. "You can do it!"

April grit her teeth, an idea coming to her mind. She couldn't believe she was actually going to do it; the creep didn't even deserve it. "Hey," she waved Arizona over, then leaned in her ear and whispered. Arizona seemed thrilled and ran over to the captain. The captain gave them a nod of approval, and the girls lined up again.

"Let's go Avery, let's go." Clap clap clap. "Let's go Avery, let's go." Clap clap clap.

April put aside her anger with Jackson for a few moments and watched him run into the endzone and score the winning touchdown. Great, now she had to write a paper with the star of the game. She hoped the library was big enough for her _and_ Jackson's ego.


	4. Chapter 4 - Wagers & Stakes

Chapter 4 - Wagers & Stakes

Meredith sat in the stands as the crowd erupted in cheers, the game ended, and the football players surrounded Jackson. She couldn't believe she was _actually_ at a football game. Her mother would be quite upset with her if she knew Meredith's whereabouts. Then again, maybe not; Ellis wasn't the type to care if she came home to an empty house. She'd usually just peel off her scrubs, pour herself into bed, and get up four hours later to return to the hospital. She'd send Meredith a text after three days of not seeing her. You know, just to make sure her only daughter was still breathing.

However, Meredith had a feeling that even Ellis would care about her being at a football game. Football games were just silly traditions for pathetic teens to attend because they had been conditioned to think that their life would be empty if they didn't. After all, it wouldn't matter in five years if you attended football games or not. You'd have adult responsibilities by then and you'd realize how juvenile your petty high school dramas actually were. Yes, Ellis Grey had driven those exact words into Meredith's head since her first day of junior high.

Despite her mother's words, Meredith was glad to be here. It was nice to freely watch Derek while pretending to be over flowing with school spirit.

"Can we go now?" Cristina asked dryly before covering a bored yawn.

"Here," Meredith handed her the car keys. "You go ahead," she spoke absently as she watched Derek and Mark lift Jackson onto their shoulders as the cheerleaders began chanting Jackson's name. "I'll catch up to you in a minute."

Cristina took the keys slowly and studied her best friend. "What are you going to do?" she asked as her eyes narrowed.

"Nothing," Meredith replied innocently, looking over to her friend.

"Uh huh, sure," Cristina said dryly as the fans started pouring from the stands "Then come with me."

Meredith bit her lip as she felt herself shriveling under her friend's inspection. "I was just, uh, going to, uh, congratulate Derek, you know..."

"For what?" Cristina cut her off sharply. "He didn't make the winning goal. Jackson did. We should be congratulating our fellow classman." She watched Meredith bite her lip and toy with her hands. "But you don't have a crush on Jackson, now do you?" A smirk curled her lips as she watched her friend shift.

"Derek's my friend," Meredith replied defensively. "Well, sort of...anyway, he played a good game!"

Cristina rolled her eyes and looked onto the field as the two seniors lowered the sophomore. She didn't understand what Meredith saw in the guy. Sure, he was attractive in an obvious way, but frankly, Cristina didn't see much beneath Derek's surface. He was a football player for crying outloud! A gym junkie who threw a ball around and smacked other guys on the ass, big whoop. "I think someone beat you to the punch," she cringed as leader of The Bitch Clique sauntered onto the field.

Meredith felt a heaviness settle in her stomach as she watched Derek's gorgeous girlfriend sway right up to him and plant a kiss on him that would have set the Atlantic on fire. Jealousy surged in her veins as Addison's hands ran through Derek's hair and her mouth assaulted his. "Let's just go," she murmured and stood. She couldn't bear to watch Addison Montgomery claim her turf any longer. She must have been crazy to think she could go onto the field and talk to Derek openly. As long as he and Addison were dating, she didn't have a chance with him. Meredith would just have to wait until the two were fighting; that was the only time Derek was allowed to speak with her. "Ow," Meredith frowned as she banged into someone. "Sorry."

"What is it _with_ you people around here?!" a dark-haired girl exploded as she rocked back a step. "Do you not see other people?!"

"I said I was sorry!" Meredith snapped, her eyes running over the younger girl. There was something familiar about her...Meredith didn't recall ever meeting her, but the girl seemed familiar none the less. "Do I know you?"

Lexie looked over the blonde girl standing across from her. "I don't think so... I'm new here, a freshman," she stuttered.

Meredith wasn't familiar with the class of freshmen. "You just look familiar," she shrugged.

"I hear that a lot," Lexie shrugged, biting her lip. The other girl probably heard her because of the rumors of her drunk father. "You've probably just heard the talk about my dad, Thatcher."

Meredith felt the color drain from her face. "Th-Thatcher?" she gaped, all of the familiar features jumping out at her. The eyes, the fair skin, the set of her jaw...that was all Thatcher Grey!

"Yeah, you know," Lexie shrugged. "The town drunk who was married to the cheating surgeon?"

Meredith's mood switched from horror to anger in the snap of a finger. "You really shouldn't talk about your parents," she frowned before pushing past the girl.

Lexie frowned as the second girl chased the blonde. What did it matter if she talked about her parents? Well, more specifically, her father. _Her_ father. Thatcher had nearly destroyed their family. Susan may be able to forgive him quickly, but Lexie wasn't composed of the same goodness as her mother. She was still pissed. Lexie shrugged off the encounter with the older girl and moved over to the chain fence squaring off the football field. "Great job, Jackson!" she yelled through hands cupped around her mouth. She blushed when Jackson flashed her a smile and gave her a wave. Jackson was _very_ attractive. Lexie waved again when April took notice of her. "That was awesome!" she exclaimed as April jogged towards her. "That last cheer really seemed to encourage Jackson."

"I know, right?" April beamed. "Think you'll want to be a part of our squad next year?"

"Absolutely!" Lexie exclaimed. "You guys look like professionals compared to us!"

"You're just nervous," April assured her. "Don't worry, we'll have you whipped into shape for your game next Thursday."

"Thanks," Lexie blushed, though she didn't think the junior varsity squad would ever be as good as the varsity squad. Her attention moved towards the team as Mark was yelling something about a party at his house. "Sounds like you gotta go..."

April glanced over her shoulder as the team moved towards the locker room whooping about a party. "Yeah, I guess so," she said as she looked back over to Lexie. "You should come too."

Lexie bit her lip. "I'll be the only freshman there."

"So?" April shrugged. "You're my girl, so I think you should come. It'll be fun!"

Lexie hesitated another moment. She didn't really know these people well enough, or how hard they partied, but how else would she get to know them if she didn't hang out with them? "I don't have a ride..."

"You can ride with me," April assured her.

"Well, okay!" Lexie gave in and pulled her phone from her pocket. "Let me tell my mom."

"Great, meet me in the gym," April instructed before starting towards the school. "Arizona!" she called, running towards the blonde.

"I wondered where you'd gotten to," Arizona smiled as April caught up to her and fell in step with her.

"Lexie is coming to the party," April informed her as they moved through the parking lot towards the school.

"She can meet some of the other girls," Arizona replied after making a face. She didn't like the idea of the freshman being within reach of Mark Sloan, but she was pretty sure that she and April could manage to keep them separate. "I didn't think you were going to the party since you have that Spanish report due."

"I probably shouldn't," April sighed, "but Jackson swears we're going to work on it in the morning before the mixer tomorrow night."

"Do you really think you can get ten pages written before the mixer?" Arizona asked skeptically.

"I don't know!" April exclaimed and shook her pom-poms. "Jackson probably won't even help! He'll probably sleep while I write the whole dang thing!"

"Hmmm, I don't think so," Arizona mused. "Jackson seems like a nice guy...I think he'll help you."

"I hope so," April murmured as the two cheerleaders entered the school gym, moving towards the locker room to change out of their uniform. After changing into her street clothes, April met Lexie in the gym. "Everything squared away?" she asked as she pulled her duffel bag onto her shoulder.

"Yeah, my mom said I have to be home by eleven though," Lexie admitted sheepishly.

April glanced to her watch. "That's fine. I have a paper to work on in the morning, so I need to be home early too."

Lexie felt herself relax as she followed April back outside. "Thanks for understanding."

"No problem," April smiled as she lead Lexie to her car, which was parked next to Mark's corvette.

"Kepner, you coming to my party?" Mark asked as he unlocked his car.

"Only for a little while," April replied. "I've got a paper due Monday that I need to work on."

"You've got plenty of time for that!" Mark exclaimed as his gaze shifted over to Lexie. "What about you? Are you coming?"

"Y-Yes," Lexie stuttered, getting lost in his eyes. "I, uh, April is driving me..." She mentally chastised herself for being so stupid. Mark wasn't going to care how she got there!

"Can't drive yourself?" Mark snorted.

"No," Lexie replied quietly and looked down.

"Way to go, Mark!" April hissed, giving him a disapproving frown before moving into her car and encouraging Lexie to do the same. "Sorry about that," she fumed as she cranked up and threw the car in reverse. "Mark doesn't really think before he speaks."

"It's okay," Lexie shrugged as she buckled her seatbelt. She sat quietly for a few minutes, then looked over to April. "Was that Callie with him again?"

"Yeah," April answered as the car slowed at a red light.

"Is she his g-girlfriend...or something?" Lexie asked casually as she looked out of her window.

April glanced over to the freshman before answering. "Not really...Mark doesn't do the whole girlfriend thing." She might as well be honest with Lexie.

"He doesn't?" Lexie questioned, looking over to her. "How can a guy like Mark not have a girlfriend?"

"Because he doesn't want one," April spoke honestly. "Mark's a real love 'em and leave 'em type. He does the whole friends with benefits thing, but not a real relationship. He's a..."

"A player," Lexie finished glumly and looked down to her hands in her lap.

April bit her lip. "Yes, he's a player," she sighed.

"So Callie is his..."

"His booty call," April said as the light changed to green and the car started moving again. "They're best friends, but they hook up every now and then. Usually when Mark is between girls."

Lexie shook her head. Could she pick them or what? "Tell me more about this mixer," she switched topics as April turned the car into a quiet neighborhood.

April's tense frame relaxed as she and Lexie got off the topic of Mark Sloan. Mark was an okay guy, if you kept him at arms length. Mark was someone you spoke to while in the halls of Seattle High, but you never spent time with him outside of school hours. That's when Mark would turn on the charm, and before you knew it, you'd be naked in his bed. It had happened to many a girl. One second they were talking to him, the next second they were kissing him, and the third second they were naked. "Here we are," April announced as she pulled her grand prix behind Arizona's jeep.

"Are his parents home?" Lexie gaped as she climbed from April's car. The house was surrounded with at least twenty cars! No way would her parents ever let her throw a party this huge.

"No, they're on vacation," April replied as she locked her car and the two girls started walking towards the front door.

"He's staying here alone?" Lexie asked, her eyes widening.

"He's supposed to be at his aunt's house, but she works late on Fridays," April explained. "Mark always takes advantage of that and throws a party after the game."

Lexie considered the idea. It seemed like Mark had a lot of freedom, but at the same time, it seemed like he was quite isolated. It must be sad to be in a house this big all by yourself. "They must be loaded," Lexie mused as they approached the door and her eye roamed the two story house.

"His dad is a divorce lawyer, and his mom is a saleswoman."

"Must be nice," Lexie mused. At least _his_ parents weren't the talk of the town. Just as she reached for the door, it was thrown open, causing her to jump back.

"Sorry!" Arizona laughed. "Come on in! We've got drinks and snacks set up if you're hungry."

"Do you want something to drink?" April asked as Lexie took her coat off. "Oh, and I'd avoid the punch," she advised. "Mark usually spikes it."

Lexie rolled her eyes and lay her coat across an armchair. "Diet coke will be fine."

"I'll be right back," April replied as she weaved through the clusters of players and stopped at the drink table. She plucked a plastic red cup from a stack and filled it with ice; when she moved to grab the second cup, someone handed her a cup already filled with ice. "Hey," she sighed as she took the cup from Jackson's hand.

"Hey," Jackson said quietly and shifted behind her.

"Congratulations on winning the game," April smiled as she reached for a two liter cola.

"Thanks," Jackson relaxed as he watched her fumble with the bottle. "Need me to get that?" he asked, extending his hands. He smiled as April sighed again and passed him the bottle. After easily opening it for her, he passed her the bottle and grimaced. "I'm still _so_ sorry about the report," he apologized.

"It's fine," April replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It was wrong of me to get so mad at you...I was just as responsible as you were...I even got us ten pages instead of five." She bit her lip and looked up to him sheepishly. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm sorry, Jackson."

"It's fine," Jackson replied, watching as she poured two cups of diet soda. He was glad April wasn't angry with him anymore. "Does the mixer start at six tomorrow?" he asked as April turned to leave.

"Yep," April replied, turning back to him. "Why?" she teased, her eyes lighting up. "Do you have your eye on some fresh meat or something?"

Jackson chuckled and took a drink from his cup. "Actually, I'm interested in someone from our class," he continued, "but when I tried to ask her out, something came up."

"Wow, that sucks," April frowned. "You've just got to take charge, Jackson. Don't let anything distract you! The next time you're with her, just ask her."

Jackson nodded as April spoke. "You're right," he spoke firmly and set his cup down. "April, if you're not..."

"Did you see that touchdown?!" Alex whooped as he joined the two and picked April up, swinging her around. "Wasn't Avery awesome!"

"Alex, put me down!" April shrieked. "You're spilling my drinks!"

"Sorry," Alex apologized, setting April down promptly. "Did you see what my man Avery pulled off tonight?!"

"I saw it," April replied drly, setting down the cups and grabbing a napkin to wipe off her shirt. "I'm on the cheerleading squad, remember?" April rolled her eyes as Alex didn't even hear her-he was still going on about that last touchdown. "See you guys later."

"Later, April," Jackson called, watching as April joined up with Arizona and Lexie. "Dude!" he exclaimed, hitting Alex on the shoulder.

"What?!" Alex asked, frowning and rotating his shoulder.

"I was going to make my move!"

Alex furrowed his brows and looked around as if he had missed someone. "With who?"

"With April," Jackson replied, scowling deeply.

"Why would you want to make a move with _April_?" Alex asked and made a face. "I know you got her in trouble and all, but you don't have to date her to make things up to her."

"Maybe that's not why I want to date her."

Alex stared at Jackson for a minute. "You can't date her. April's like my sister...and you're my best friend...best friends don't date sisters. It's against the rules."

Jackson took a slow drink from his cup and studied his best friend. There were few times in life that Alex got serious. This was one of those times. "Naw, man, I was just playing."

Alex instantly relaxed. "Good, man, you had me going." He laughed and clapped Jackson on the back. "Are you coming to the mixer tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Jackson replied and took another drink of his soda. His brows furrowed as he did a double take at the front door. "I thought this party was only open to the team and the cheerleaders."

"Yeah, it is," Alex replied, following Jackson's gaze. "Oh," he said as his eyes settled on Addison and the rest of The Bitch Clique. "I guess when you're screwing the quarterback, you're exempt."

"I guess so," Jackson chuckled.

"I wonder what it's like to do one of them," Alex smirked as he leaned back against the wall.

"Like you'll ever find out," Jackson laughed.

"I could get one of them!" Alex replied defiantly.

"No the hell you couldn't!" Jackson replied. "They'd eat you alive."

"What about _you_, Pretty Boy?" Alex shot back. "You have less of a chance with them than I do!"

"Ppfftt," Jackson scoffed. "You're wrong, Karev."

"Wanna bet?" Alex grinned with an evil glint to his eye.

"What are you thinking?" Jackson asked as his gaze moved from Alex to The Bitch Clique.

"I bet you can't nail one of them in a month," Alex challenged.

"Which one?" Jackson asked.

"Take your pick," Alex replied, his gaze narrowing. The only way he could believe Jackson wasn't going to make a move on April was if he went for one of The Bitch Clique.

Jackson bit the inside of his cheek as his eyes roamed over to April. April was the one he was really interested in, but Alex had established that April was completely off-limits. He had to keep their relationship platonic. Alex would kill him otherwise. "Reed," Jackson finally decided. He had a class with her, so it should be easy enough to get close to her.

"Nice," Alex praised and nodded.

"When I win," Jackson gloated, "you have to do my Geometry homework for the whole year."

"The whole year?!" Alex questioned.

"I hate Geometry," Jackson replied.

"How do you expect to pass the tests then, dumbass?" Alex retorted.

"Leave that up to me," Jackson grinned. "Do you forget who my mother is?"

Alex rolled his eyes and looked over to Reed. "Okay, fine. But when I win, you have to give me your car."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Jackson exclaimed. "I've barely had that car a month!"

"If you don't think you can do it, just give me the keys now," Alex taunted and held out his hand. He'd had his eye on that car since Jackson's birthday last month.

"Dream on!" Jackson slapped his hand away. "Okay, fine. You're on."

"Where are you going?" Alex called as Jackson set his cup on the table and walked away.

"I gotta start making some time with her," Jackson called over his shoulder.

Alex shook his head and chuckled to himself. Reed was going to pack Jackson's lunch and then eat it. He didn't have a chance in hell with her. Alex picked up a plastic cup to pour himself a soda, but stopped when he spotted Mark at the punch bowl. He could use a little alcohol therapy tonight. Jackson really had him tense talking about April that way. Why would he want to date April anyway? Sure, she was hot, but once you got beneath the surface, the girl was annoying as hell. He still loved her though. Alex shook his head and moved over to the punch bowl. "Did you doctor this up?" he asked Mark as he reached for the ladle.

"No," Mark frowned. "Robbins and Kepner brought a freshman to the party, and I have to be on my best behavior. She hasn't even turned fifteen yet."

"Damn," Alex frowned.

"Tell me about it," Mark rolled his eyes before pouring himself a cup of punch and moving over to the trio of girls. "Excuse me," he interrupted. "I'm going to borrow Lexie for a minute."

"Why?" Arizona and April asked simultaneously.

"I owe her an apology for running her down," Mark charmed and took Lexie's hand, leading her towards the center of the living room as the music switched to a slow song.

"You really don't have to," Lexie said as Mark pulled her closer to him. "You're not the only one to run into me."

"You gotta start pushing back," Mark advised as he hand settled at the small of her back.

"That's easy for you to say," Lexie replied. "You're a senior and a football player, so it's easy for you to push back."

"If you need me to handle them for you, just let me know," Mark said as he looked down to her. There was something about this Lexie girl that he liked. She seemed...different. Not rich and entitled like some of the other bitches at Seattle High.

"I'm good, thanks," Lexie replied dryly. Thank God April had warned her of Mark or else she'd be putty in his hands right now.

"You don't like me, do you?" Mark asked as he pressed her a bit closer to him.

"I think you're rude," Lexie smirked, "but aside from that, you seem okay." She shrugged casually. "I'm a freshman...it doesn't really matter what I think."

"Good point," Mark chuckled and stepped back as another couple nearly bumped into them. "How do you like Seattle High?"

"It's different," Lexie mused as her hand finally relaxed at his neck. "I got lost three times on the first day."

"I got lost five," Mark whispered in her ear and laughed softly. He smiled when he felt Lexie shiver against him. "You seem to have made good friends with Kepner and Robbins."

"Yeah, you could say so," Lexie shrugged after composing herself. "They seem nice enough."

"Yeah, well, they're glaring at us right now," Mark informed her as the song faded out.

Lexie opened her mouth to speak, but April ran to her side, grasping her hand and telling her something about them having to leave right now. "Thanks for the dance!" Lexie called as April dragged her through the front door.

"You told her about me, didn't you?" Mark frowned as Arizona gave him an innocent wave.

"We _warned_ her," Arizona clarified. "There's a difference."

"I'm not as evil as you make me out to be," Mark stated as he plucked a pretzel stick from Arizona's plate of snacks.

"We've lost six cheerleaders because of you," Arizona reminded him. "Most of them freshman. Lexie is special. She's going to go far with us." Arizona took a sip of her water. "We don't need _you_ messing that up."

"I wouldn't mess it up," Mark replied, his brows knitting together. "I'd help her image, that's all," he grinned wickedly.

"By making her the freshman tramp?" Arizona shot back. "I don't think so!"

"You act like I'd just hit it and quit it," Mark mocked sincerity as he put his hand over his heart. "That hurts."

"That's exactly what you'd do," Arizona replied matter-of-factly.

"You don't know that."

"Whatever, Mark," Arizona rolled her eyes. "I'm just letting you know, you're not getting Lexie. April and I will always be there. _Always_."

Mark mimicked Arizona behind her back as she walked away. She and April were the only cheerleaders he hadn't managed to nail. If he didn't up his game, he wouldn't get them before graduation. "Hey," he smirked as his best friend appeared at his side and slid her hand into his back pocket.

"Hey," Callie purred, nuzzling his neck. "It took me a while to sneak out tonight. Dad was in the living room."

"Preparing for Sunday?" Mark asked, passing her his cup of punch.

"How'd you guess?" Callie rolled her eyes before taking a drink. Callie loved her father, she really did, but sometimes he was a bit...smothering. Then again, she guessed she should expect it since he was a preacher.

"Have you told him yet?" Mark asked quietly as another song started up.

"Not yet," Callie replied and eased the cup back into his hand. "I'll do it when the time is right." She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead as beads of sweat appeared at her hairline.

Callie Torres was a preacher's daughter. She'd been in church since a week after birth. She'd grown up in church. Sunday school, Children's Church, Vacation Bible School, Youth group, all of it. She'd learned the Ten Commandments when she was six, all sixty-six books of the Bible when she was nine, and was baptized when she was eleven. She participated in Bible Drills, memorized scripture, and served at the local soup kitchen. She was the perfect preacher's daughter.

Until last summer when she turned sixteen. Callie got interested in sinful music, sinful movies, and sinful television programs. She and her father spent most of their time fighting. He didn't want her reading what she wanted to read, watching what she wanted to watch, or listening to the music she wanted to listen to. Pastor Torres couldn't possibly lead a church flock if his own daughter was behaving like a sinner.

That's why Callie hadn't worked up the nerve to tell him what she'd discovered about herself.

"How long are we going to keep this up?" Mark asked, looking over to her.

"Just give me a little while longer," Callie pleaded. "I swear, Mark, I'll tell him soon." Tears filled her eyes at the thought of telling her father something that would undoubtedly break his heart.

Mark's heart softened when he saw his best friend nearly in tears. "Hey," he said softly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her against him. "It's okay," he said gently and kissed her temple. "Take as long as you need."

Mark could deal with it for a little while longer. He didn't mind if the whole school thought they were sleeping together; only he and Callie knew that they weren't.


	5. Chapter 5 - The Freshman Mixer

Chapter 5 - The Freshman Mixer

Meredith paced the floor of her living room, nearly wearing a path in the carpet. She sat on the couch and clasped her hands. She stood again and combed her fingers through her hair. She started pacing again and wringing her hands.

Every few seconds Meredith was moving.

Every few seconds Meredith felt the anxiety take more and more control of her. She felt like she was going to be sick. How could her mother not _tell_ her?! How could she keep something like that a secret from her?

Meredith sat on the couch again and hung her head between her knees, gulping in breaths of air. The anxiety was about to consume her if she didn't gain control of herself!

"Meredith, what are you doing awake?" Ellis frowned after unlocking the front door and entering their home. "It's almost two in the morning," she chastised as she jingled the key from the lock.

Meredith gaped at her mother. How could the woman walk in and act as if everything were...everything were..._normal_? "Why didn't you tell me?" Meredith choked out, tears brimming her eyes. No! She would not cry about this! She stubbornly ran her arm across her eyes before glaring at her mother again.

"Tell you what?" Ellis asked with little interest as she shut the door and pulled off her lab coat.

"About Lexie," Meredith said through gritted teeth. Her fingers gripped the couch so tightly that her knuckles were white and screaming at her.

Ellis lost her composure for nearly a second, but resumed her cool facade quickly. "You've met Lexie?" she asked casually, as if she were asking Meredith what she'd eaten for dinner.

"Yes!" Meredith shrieked. "She's a freshman at my high school!"

Ellis licked her lips and tilted her chin stubbornly. "We will discuss this later. You're obviously too emotional right now."

Meredith's mouth dropped as her mother walked into the kitchen. "How could you not _tell_ me?!" Meredith shrieked, moving to her feet and following her mother into the kitchen.

Ellis' non-emotional eyes skimmed over Meredith as if she were an annoyance. "I didn't think it was important. It has nothing to do with us."

Meredith's eyes widened in shock. "Nothing to do with us?!" she demanded. "It has everything to do with us!"

"Your father walked out on us," Ellis reminded her daughter. "It does not matter to us what he does."

"He walked out because of _you_!" Meredith screamed angrily. "You ran him off! You drove him away! He has another family now because of you!"

"Meredith." Ellis spoke her daughter's name simply, but the warning in her tone could slice stone.

"How could you not tell me I have a sister?!" Meredith demanded. "Do you know what it was _like_ for me to see her tonight? I didn't even know she existed!"

Ellis calmly poured herself a shot of tequila, downed it, then refilled the glass. "I can not talk to you when you're like this," she spoke blandly. "We will discuss this tomorrow."

Meredith glared at her mother for a moment before turning and stomping up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door to her room with a force that nearly rocked the door off the hinges, then threw herself onto her bed. Meredith squeezed her eyes shut and covered the lids with her palms. She couldn't believe this had happened!

A small part of Meredith always hoped that Thatcher would come back and save her from the loveless relationship with her mother. Ellis didn't love her; she provided for Meredith because she had to. Her daughter was clearly an annoyance to her.

Meredith rolled onto her side in the fetal position and clutched her pillow to her chest. No one loved her. No one wanted her. A tear rolled down her cheek before she wiped it away stubbornly and stood, flinging the pillow across the room. No, she would not throw herself a pity party! She was better than this! Stronger!

Meredith moved to the door of her bedroom and locked it before plucking her keys from her desk where she'd thrown them earlier in the afternoon. She grabbed a light jacket from the closet and stuffed her arms into the sleeves before pushing open her window. Meredith scanned her room before throwing her right leg out of the window. She needed out of this place!

Once safely on the ground, Meredith darted to her car and eased into it quietly before cranking up and skidding out of the driveway. She didn't care if her mother saw her. She didn't even care if she was busted for being out past curfew. She needed _away_ from her mother.

Meredith dialed Cristina's number as she left the quiet neighborhood behind. "Damnit," she cursed as Cristina's voicemail picked up. Meredith ended the call and tossed her cell into the passenger seat. If Cristina wouldn't answer, there was always once place she could go.

Meredith weaved through the streets of Seattle, turning her car away from the night life and moving towards the quieter side of the city. Meredith frowned as she noticed another car in the parking lot of the Albert Davis Park. No one ever came to the park this late, especially on a Friday night. It was the one place she could go to clear her mind.

Meredith parked her car, noticing the familiarity of the mustang she parked beside. It seemed one of her classmates needed some time to think too. "Jackson?" she asked after leaving her car and slowly approaching the swings.

"Hey, Meredith," Jackson greeted after looking up. "What are you doing out here so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Meredith smirked and eased into a swing a few feet away from him.

Jackson sighed heavily and looked down for a moment. "I'm just trying to clear my head," he finally said aloud. Trying to clear his head of all things April Kepner, that was for sure. Alex had made it perfectly clear that he couldn't date April under any circumstances.

"That makes two of us," Meredith mumbled and picked at the black nail polish on her index finger. "Hey, congratulations on winning the game tonight."

"Thanks," Jackson forced a smile onto his face.

"You don't look as happy as you should be," Meredith observed as she looked over to her fellow sophomore. "Wanna talk about it?" She didn't know what made her feel the need to ask him that. She and Jackson weren't really _friends_, but they weren't enemies either. They spoke in the halls and had one or two classes together; they'd even been partners for the science fair last year. Maybe it was the fact that they were both surgeons' children that brought them together.

Jackson looked over to Meredith for a second. "It's just some girl," he mumbled.

"A girl, huh?" Meredith grinned. "Do I know her?"

"Like I'm going to tell you her name," Jackson smirked.

"Yeah, I didn't figure I was going to get that out of you," Meredith laughed and pushed herself on the swing. "Just go for it, Jackson. The worst thing that can happen is that she says no. And if she does, she's crazy."

Jackson smiled a little and stood. "Thanks, Meredith. I'll keep that in mind." He appreciated the vague concern, but he couldn't take her advice. Alex wouldn't allow it. Plus, now he had to get Reed or he'd lose his car. "I'm going to head out. I've got a paper to write in the morning. Do you want me to walk you to your car?"

"Nah, I'm going to stay here for a while," Meredith blew him off with a wave of her hand. "I'll see you Monday."

"See you later," Jackson waved and walked to his car, climbing in slowly. He should be riding high; he'd just scored the winning touchdown of the first football game of the year! The truth was, he was completely bummed out. Alex had totally pissed in his cheerios!

Jackson fumed to himself as he drove the familiar route to the Avery home. How could Alex lay some hands-off rule to April? Alex never dated April! Jackson wouldn't be screwing over Alex if he dated April. And April wasn't Alex's property. Sure, they'd been friends forever, but that didn't give Alex any claim to April. Jackson clucked his tongue as he rolled to a stop at a red light.

He could take Alex if he needed to.

Jackson chuckled to himself as the light changed to green. It was a ridiculous idea, and he knew it. Alex was the best friend he had here. If Alex didn't want him dating April, he had to respect it. As sucky as it was, he had to respect it.

Jackson sighed heavily as he pulled into the driveway of his home. All of the lights were out. His mother was obviously still at the hospital. Jackson shook his head as he climbed from the car and locked it up tight. He didn't understand what fascinated his mother about surgery. It was quite disgusting to cut into someone like that. Organs weren't meant to be seen-that's why they were _inside_ the body.

Jackson threw some pizza into the microwave and settled in front of the television when an idea hit him. He couldn't necessarily date April, that was obvious, but he could at least do something nice for her, right? Alex never said a thing about doing nice things for April. Happy with himself, Jackson gobbled down the pizza and got to work.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

The next morning, Jackson slowly awoke to a bright light in his eyes and birds chirping outside. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, clearly confused. It took him several moments to realize that he had fallen asleep at the dining room table.

"Oh shit!" Jackson exclaimed as his eyes landed on the clock on the oven. Ten forty-three. "Oh shit, oh shit," he repeated as he dug his cell from his jean pocket.

_6 missed calls from April_

_4 new text messages from April_

She was going to kill him!

Jackson hurriedly gathered up his things and ran for his car. He popped a peppermint into his mouth as he spun out of the driveway. "Come on, come _on_," he urged as he maneuvered the car through Saturday morning traffic. "Get out of the way!" he yelled as he passed an old woman on the left.

The drive to the library was normally a fifteen minute drive, but Jackson made it there in six minutes flat. He leaped from his car and ran into the building with the papers clutched to his chest. He moved quickly through the building, finally locating April at a table in the back corner. "April, I'm _so_ sorry!" he exclaimed as he dropped into the chair across from her.

April raised hard, angry eyes to Jackson, then returned to her paper.

"You're not even going to talk to me?" Jackson asked quietly, watching as her grip tightened on the pen.

April threw the pen down onto the table and glared at him. "What would you like for me to say, Jackson?" She raised her eyebrows and threw her hands in the air. "Well? Would you like for me to tell you that I'm very angry with you right now?"

"That's kinda obvious," Jackson replied dryly.

"You get us this report, and then, you don't even show up!" April exclaimed. "What, because you're a football stud now, you think I'm going to run behind you like a groupie and just..write all of your papers for you?"

Jackson's brows knit together. "I don't think that at all!" He took a breath. "I overslept, that's all."

April made a sound and slammed her book closed. "Of course, because school work clearly isn't that important." It was obvious that Jackson had partied at Mark's until the early morning hours and _that_ was the real reason he'd overslept! The football stud couldn't leave the party and get a good night's sleep so that he could write the paper. No, that'd be much too responsible!

"Where are you going?" Jackson asked, watching as she gathered up her notebook and pen.

"I'm going home," April replied through gritted teeth. "Since we obviously can't work together, I'll do five pages, and you do fives pages, okay?"

"April."

"I should have expected this!" April fumed.

"April."

"You were probably at the party late, and _that's_ why you overslept," April continued to rant. "You've got all the time in the world to play, but you can't settle down and do your schoolwork!"

"April."

April looked to him for the first time since starting her tirade. "What?!"

Jackson looked down to the papers he was still clutching. "I fell asleep writing the report."

April's anger melted away. "You what?" she asked quietly.

"I fell asleep writing the report," Jackson repeated and held the papers out to her. "I got us the report, so I thought I should write it..."

April eased the papers from his grasp and thumbed through them. Jackson had in fact scrawled out ten pages, front and back. "Jackson," she sighed his name, looking to him.

Jackson raised his hand in front of her. "It's fine."

"It's not fine," April replied. "I am _so_ sorry. You did a wonderful thing, and I just..." Her voice fell and she sighed again. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Jackson shrugged. "I know you have to get things ready for the mixer tonight..."

April wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug. "Thank you." She placed a soft peck to his cheek. "Thank you so much...I'm so sorry for going off...I'm just..."

"Stressed," Jackson finished simply, looking to her.

"Yeah," April said softly and shifted her weight from foot to foot. She looked to the floor, feeling like a very, very small person. Jackson had done a wonderful thing for her, and she'd gone off on him like the wicked witch of the north, south, east, _and_ west. "Have you eaten anything?" she asked quietly.

"No," Jackson admitted. "I woke up and came here." He laughed nervously.

April nodded. "Let's grab a burger or something. My treat."

"You don't have to," Jackson started.

"I want to."

All it took was one solid hour for things to mend between the two. They sat and ate lunch together, laughing and joking as if they'd been friends forever. They talked about school, the game last night, and what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives. It was so easy to talk to Jackson. By the time they were disposing of their garbage, April was completely smitten with Jackson. Sure, she'd always found him attractive, but getting to spend that one-on-one time with him made her realize that she was developing quite the crush. "So, you're coming to the mixer tonight, right?" she asked, leaning back against her car and toying with her keys.

"As far as I know," Jackson replied, placing his hand to the top of her car. "Mom should be in surgery."

April nodded, her eyes smoothing over Jackson's face. She'd never really noticed how full Jackson's bottom lip was. "If you're bored at home, you can always help me and Arizona decorate." She put her hand on his arm casually as she spoke. "We wouldn't mind the company..."

Jackson's mouth went dry and he swallowed hard. Was April flirting with him? Now? _Seriously_?! Was fate truly that cruel? "I, uh, well," he stuttered, trying to find the excuse he needed, but his mind was turning up completely blank.

Luckily, fate took it a little easy on him, because April's phone dinged loudly. "Crap," April frowned, as her eyes ran over the text. "That's Arizona..."

"Everything okay?" Jackson asked, feeling his body relax when April withdrew her touch. He felt like he could finally _think_ again.

"No, she's having a decoration problem," April sighed, opening her door and throwing her purse into the passenger seat. "I gotta go. I'll see you tonight."

April and Arizona spent the entire afternoon decorating the gym for the mixer. With a task at hand, April was able to push her attraction for Jackson to the back burner. He still crossed her mind every now and again, but she pushed the thoughts away quickly and focused on the preparations for the mixer.

Once the other cheerleaders arrived, Arizona assigned duties to each one; some served food, others poured up drinks, and she and April picked out the music. Everything came together smoothly and started promptly at six.

"Lexie!" April called as soon as the dark haired girl entered the gym.

Lexie spotted April easily and walked over to her. Having a big sister cheerleader wasn't that bad of a thing after all. At least she didn't have to worry about being alone at any school function. It seemed April was quite the social butterfly. "Hey."

"I was worried you weren't coming!" April exclaimed and hugged her quickly.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Lexie forced a smile onto her face and looked around the gym. "The place looks great."

"Thanks," April smiled. "I know it's totally cheesy, but the school insisted we decorate." She rolled her eyes as she spoke. "Do you want some punch?"

"Sure," Lexie shrugged and watched as April hurried off to retrieve her a cup. "Thanks," she smiled when the girl returned seconds later. "How was your report thing this morning?"

April found herself smiling. "It was good..."

Lexie quirked her head. "You're blushing!"

"It's hot in here!" April reasoned and fanned herself.

"You like him!" Lexie exclaimed.

"Ssshhhhh!" April hissed.

"Who does she like?" Alex asked as he joined the girls. Actually, Alex was headed for the food, but once he heard that his best friend was crushing on someone, he decided to shift priorities.

"No one," April and Lexie spoke together.

Alex raised an eyebrow and looked between the two. "I will find out," he promised before continuing to the food table. He heard the girls' giggles behind him, so he knew he had to do some digging. Perhaps April had written something in diary... "Hey," Alex spoke as he noticed Jo at the food table.

Jo looked up, her eyes running over him. "Oh, it's you," she stated, thoroughly unimpressed. "The rude ass."

"I said I was sorry," Alex frowned. "And I helped you pick up your things."

"Doesn't change the fact that you're rude," Jo snipped and put half a sandwich on her plate.

"I'm not the one calling people names," Alex retorted with a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "How do you like Seattle High, Jo?" he asked after a silence settled between them.

Jo raised her eyebrow. "How do you know my name?"

Alex grinned. "I have my sources."

"Oh, really?" Jo asked, setting her plate to the side and crossing her arms. "So you flashed your jersey to a few freshman and they gave you the dirt."

"Basically," Alex chuckled.

Jo made a face as she retrieved her plate. "Good for you, but I'm not impressed."

"Who said I was trying to impress you?"

"Fine," Jo snapped and left the table.

"Fine!" Alex called after her, watching as she walked away. He blinked and looked around. What in the hell had just happened?

"Smooth," Derek chuckled, grabbing a plate.

"How much did you see?" Alex asked with narrowed eyes.

"All of it," Derek grinned and put a few meatballs onto his plate.

"Shut up," Alex frowned and took a big bite of his sandwich. He scanned the crowd of freshman, but couldn't find Jo again. "Addison let you off your leash tonight?" he asked as he glanced over to Derek.

"Addison's pissed at me," Derek sighed.

"Didn't seem that way last night," Alex remarked.

Derek opened his mouth, but closed it quickly. He couldn't even begin to explain his relationship with Addison, especially to a sophomore. Particularly to a sophomore who thought she was hot. "Yeah, she just wants me to hook Avery up with her friend," he shrugged.

"Jackson?" Alex clarified, looking to the quarterback.

"Yeah, who else?" Derek asked and popped a meatball into his mouth.

Alex took another bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. The only way he could be _sure_ Jackson wouldn't try anything with April was if he was occupied with someone else. Plus, he'd lose the bet. "Jackson isn't dating anyone," Alex said. "It might smooth things over with Addison if you at least introduced them." He was going to look _so_ good in Jackson's mustang. He might even catch the attention of a certain Jo Wilson.

"Yeah, it might," Derek shrugged. It might even make their inevitable break up easier if Addison was at least _happy_ with him. Derek tossed his plate and dusted his hands on his jeans. "See you Monday, Karev." Derek moved through the dancing freshman and located Stephanie near the entrance. "Hey, Steph!"

"Derek!" Stephanie exclaimed, rushing over to him. "Addison said you were going to introduce me to Jackson tonight!"

"I know, and I am," Derek replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Come on." He'd be _so_ glad when he was finished with The Bitch Clique. "Hey, guys," Derek called as he spotted Jackson and Mark talking strategy. "I want to introduce you to someone."

"Is she hot?" Mark chuckled.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Guys, this is Stephanie Edwards; she's a friend of Addison's. Stephanie, this is Mark Sloan and Jackson Avery."

"Nice to meet you," Mark spoke up.

"Yeah, whatever," Stephanie directed his way and zoned in an Jackson. "That was an _amazing_ move you pulled last night."

Jackson looked to her, clearly caught off guard. "Thanks," he said unsurely and cast a glance to his senior teammates.

"How did it feel to win the game?" Stephanie purred, shifting closer to him.

Mark's mouth dropped. "I _am_ standing here, right?" he asked, looking from Stephanie to Derek.

Stephanie glanced to Mark and scowled. "Let's move somewhere where it's quieter," she suggested to Jackson before taking his arm and leading him away.

"Are you kidding me?!" Mark asked, looking to Derek.

"She only has eyes for Avery," Derek chuckled and shook his head. "You didn't stand a chance, pal."

"You could have warned me," Mark frowned. "I could have saved myself some time."

"Nah, I'd rather see you make an ass out of yourself," Derek grinned.

"Very funny," Mark replied and took a drink of his punch. "Everything okay with you and Addie?"

"For now," Derek shrugged. "Who knows how I'll piss her off tomorrow though."

"Is it really that bad?" Mark asked seriously. Sure, he gave Derek heat about being whipped, but he never thought things were _that _terrible between his two friends.

Derek pursed his lips, considering if he should confide in Mark or not. "Don't say anything."

"You have my word."

Derek sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Addie and I...it's just not there anymore..."

"Seriously?" Mark asked. "Is there anyone else?"

"No," Derek replied quickly. He wasn't going to involve Meredith in this in any way. The last thing he needed was Addison turning the whole school against her.

Mark studied his friend for a moment. "Liar."

"I'm serious," Derek snapped. "There's no one else...it's just Addie...she's shallow, demanding, and spoiled..."

"She's always been those things!" Mark laughed. "It used to turn you on."

"Not anymore," Derek shook his head.

"Want me to give her the bad news?" Mark offered before taking another drink of his punch.

"Like she'd really go for that," Derek muttered.

"Uh oh, check it out!" Mark whooped. "My man Avery has her number!" Mark pointed over to Stephanie, who was writing her number on Jackson's hand.

"Good," Derek sighed with relief. At least that was one less thing Addison could bitch at him about. A part of him felt bad for pushing the barracuda onto Jackson, but if Addison wasn't happy, no one was happy. She made sure of it. Derek hoped he could free himself of Addison soon, because he wanted to be happy again, and the only way he thought he could ever be happy again was to be with Meredith Grey.


	6. Chapter 6 - Secrets & Lies

Chapter 6 - Secrets & Lies

Callie sat frozen in church Sunday morning while her father delivered the morning message. He was in fine form too-he raised his arms for emphasis, thrust his voice on certain words, and banged his fist on the podium to deliver a crucial point. The sermon was focusing on sins of the flesh. The guilty conscience within Callie wondered if her father was directing it towards her in particular.

Callie dropped her gaze as her father's eyes swept over her. She picked at some fuzz on her skirt and uncrossed her legs. She felt the beads of sweat pop onto her forehead as she rubbed her sweaty palms on the tail of her blouse. Callie generally enjoyed listening to her father, but this particular morning she was ready for church to be over and done with.

Callie shifted her gaze to the bulletin, opening it and acting as if she were reviewing the scripture Pastor Torres referenced. Unsurprisingly, all the scripture was from the Old Testament.

Callie's relationship with her father began to unravel when Callie chose to focus on scripture from the New Testament. In fact, she loved the New Testament. Jesus came to abolish the traditions of everyone and to establish a new way to see the world. Before you judge, love. It was as simple as that. Don't throw stones unless your slate was spotless. Pastor Torres chose to focus on the commands of the Bible. Do this, don't do that; eat this, don't eat that, etc. Oh yes, and repent. Repent, repent, repent. Her father didn't seem to acknowledge the love and grace that Jesus extends.

Maybe her father was right, and Callie was just trying to twist the Bible to ease her guilt. People tended to do that-take a few words out of context to prove an agenda they were trying to enforce. It happened every day, hence all the confusion amongst different religions.

Callie bowed her head with relief when her father made his closing statements and lead the congregation in prayer. She felt the tension and anxiety slowly leave her body. She was in a church building, but she felt as if she had just endured a verbal stoning.

Callie toyed with her hands as the collection plates moved down the pews. Maybe she should just go ahead and tell her father the truth. Get it out in the open; she wasn't sure if she could survive any more sermons.

Callie believed she was a lesbian.

A few weeks before school began, Callie began to notice her lack of interest in boys. Her disinterest became even more obvious the day Callie invited Mark to her house to help her wash her car. She hated washing her car, and her mother wouldn't allow her to take it to a car wash. _If you are truly grateful for your possessions, Calliope, you will show your appreciation by taking care of them_ her mother had scolded. Callie always knew when her full name was being used that she'd better tread lightly. So, Callie asked Mark to help her wash the dang car.

Somewhere between washing, rinsing, and waxing, Mark pulled off his sopping wet shirt. Callie didn't even pay him much attention. Sure, she could acknowledge that Mark had a nice physique, but that was as far as it went. She wasn't attracted to Mark, didn't want to jump his bones or have him throw her on the hood of her car and have his way with her, none of that. Her eye barely noticed his toned stomach before resuming the task at hand.

April Kepner inadvertently let her know that she was insane. During football camp a week later, April and the other cheerleaders were huddled together giggling and swooning over Mark, Derek, and Jackson.

Callie didn't find any of them attractive. In fact, Callie thought Arizona, the co-captain of the cheer leading squad, had nice legs.

The thought alarmed Callie. It wasn't her simply acknowledging another girl's best feature...it was practically an attraction.

Mark, of course, was thrilled with Callie's confession. He promptly offered to initiate a threesome if Callie wanted to test her feelings. Callie slugged him for it.

Callie mouthed the words to the final hymn as she tried to pull herself together and tuck away her guilty conscience. She woke up this morning telling herself that today would be the day she was going to come clean with her suspicions, but after her father's sermon, she knew he was in no mindframe to listen to her. He may very well call in the other Deacons and try to perform an exorcism on her.

After returning home from church, Callie made up an excuse about having a book report due and hurried to her room, closing and locking the door. Callie threw herself onto her bed and dialed a number she could dial in her sleep. "Mark," she whispered as soon as he picked up.

"Callie?" Mark questioned, glancing to his clock. "Aren't you supposed to be in church?"

"We let out early," Callie replied distantly. "Can you come over?"

A moment of silence passed. "Now?" Mark clarified. "In the daytime?" Whenever Mark snuck into the Torres' home, it was always at night after her parents were asleep.

"I'm freaking out," Callie hissed, feeling herself start to panic. "Please, Mark, I just need someone to talk to..."

"Ssshhhh," Mark interrupted gently, gathering his car keys. "I'll be over in a few minutes...it's about time I have a challenge anyway."

"Thanks, Mark," Callie sighed thankfully. "I'll have the window open." Callie ended the call and opened the window near the huge oak tree that was probably a hundred years old. She knew having Mark climb in her window in the middle of the day was a risky move, but she needed Mark's calming aura. No matter what upset her or made her angry, Mark had a knack for calming her spirits.

Fifteen minutes later Mark slipped into Callie's bedroom. "This should go in the record books," he gloated and thumped his chest. "I got into a girl's room in broad daylight without being noticed. Hey, whoah," he jerked as Callie threw herself into him. "Callie?" he asked, his arms wrapping around her instinctively. "What is it? Did you tell him?"

"No," Callie sobbed against his chest. "I don't think I ever can."

"Ssshhhh," Mark soothed and eased her over to her bed. "Talk to me, babe."

Callie wiped her eyes and looked at him. "I was going to tell him today, I really was. But then...at church...he was on this sins of the flesh thing...he's going to hate me, Mark, he's really going to hate me!" She covered her face and sobbed again.

"He's not going to hate you," Mark promised and rubbed her shoulder. "He loves you, Callie."

"He loves me _now_!" Callie exclaimed. "He won't love me when he finds out I'm an abomination!"

Mark drew Callie into his lap and rubbed his hand up and down her back as she cried it out. Callie was too emotional to be reasoned with when she was like this. Mark knew deep down that Pastor Torres would always love his daughter. He wasn't going to approve of her actions, but he was still going to love her. "You've got to tell him soon, Cals," Mark spoke quietly after her cries finally subsided.

"I know," Callie hiccuped, tucking her hand under her chin. "I'm just so scared..."

"I'll go with you," Mark offered.

Callie looked up to him, fresh tears brimming her eyes. "You will?"

"Of course," Mark replied and placed a kiss to her temple. Callie snuggled against his side and sighed with relief. Mark waited a few minutes before speaking again. "Besides, once all of this is out in the open I can hook up with that new cheerleader."

"Mark!" Callie exclaimed and smacked him in the chest. She smiled when he chuckled. "Lexie, right?"

"Right," Mark answered, his mind roaming to the hot freshman. Lexie had consumed his thoughts since the moment he met her.

"She _is_ cute," Callie admitted and glanced up to him.

Mark grinned wickedly. "And this is why you're so awesome."

"Pervert," Callie laughed and smacked him with a pillow.

"Callie!" Pastor Torres called and rapped on her door.

"Hold on, Dad!" Callie shrieked as the knob rattled. "I'm changing!" She turned wild eyes to Mark. "Quick, under the bed!" She shooed Mark off the bed and lifted the bed ruffle.

"You better change clothes or he's going to condemn you for lying," Mark chuckled before diving under her bed.

Callie shimmied out of her skirt and pulled on some lounge pants before ripping off her blouse and yanking on a tshirt instead. "Hey, Dad, what's up?" she asked casually after opening the door.

Carlos studied her suspiciously before sweeping his eyes around her room. "Did I hear voices?"

"Oh, I was just watching this video on the internet for my report," Callie replied dismissively and shrugged. "What's up?"

"What did you think of my sermon today?" Carlos asked. "You seemed distracted."

"No," Callie fibbed. "I was looking up the scripture."

"Oh...okay," Carlos replied, seeming satisfied. "The Harpers just called and invited us over for dinner tonight. Would you like to join us?"

"I wish I could, but I need to work on this report," Callie replied and made a face. "Maybe next time?"

Carlos nodded. "You're such a good student," he praised and leaned in, kissing her forehead. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, Dad," Callie smiled as he turned and returned downstairs. She closed the door quickly and leaned against it, sighing heavily. "Phew, that was close."

"He loves you," Mark stated after climbing from under her bed. "He will always love you. You need to tell him so that you stop tormenting yourself."

"I will," Callie said softly, looking down to her hands.

Mark studied her for a moment. "I'm giving you a week," he vowed. "If you don't tell him by next Sunday, I'm going to tell him we've been sleeping together and you're pregnant."

Callie's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare!"

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Wanna bet?"

Callie glared at her friend. "Okay, fine!" she gave in. "I'll tell him!"

"You better," Mark said sternly before easing over to the window. "I gotta go, Cals. Derek and I have plans tonight."

"Gonna sneak in to Hooters again?" Callie asked as she walked over to the window.

"You know it," Mark grinned.

"And on a Sunday," Callie teased.

"I'm not the one with a preacher for a father," Mark smirked and placed a kiss to her cheek. "See you in the morning."

"Later," Callie called and closed the window behind him. She snuggled into her bed and turned on a movie feeling much better about herself. Mark always knew how to reign her in when she was flailing out of control. Callie was _so_ glad he was her best friend.

The next morning Callie woke leisurely and arched her back as she groaned. She felt like a completely different person this morning. Her spirit felt calmer knowing that her father would know her secret by the end of the week. A small part of her was angry with Mark for forcing her hand, but once it was out in the open, she would no longer be tormented by her feelings; she'd just have to deal with the fallout.

Callie looked over to her clock and yelped. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, leaping out of the bed. It was seven fifteen! She was going to be late for school!

Callie touseled her hair with a dab of dry shampoo, dressed quickly, swished some mouthwash, and ran from the house. Twenty minutes later she pulled into a parking spot and bounded from the car. She only had five minutes to hit her locker and make it to homeroom! Callie hurried through the crowds of students, squeezing through them in the halls. "Excuse me!" she called as she bumped into some one.

"Watch it," Addison frowned as a dark haired girl nearly knocked her down.

"Addison, are you okay?" Reed chirped.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Addison rolled her eyes. "Come on, Steph, tell us what happened with Jackson!" She leaned against the locker beside Stephanie's and put her hand on her hip.

Stephanie smiled a knowing smile. "I gave him my phone number," she announced.

"Minutes after meeting him?" Naomi asked, clearly impressed.

"Yep," Stephanie beamed. "And while I was writing on his hand...I noticed a little action down south," she giggled. "He's totally into me." The girls giggled a knowing giggle.

"You've noticed his feet, right?" Addison smirked.

Reed bit her lip, keeping quiet as the other three talked of Jackson's long fingers and broad shoulders. A part of her felt like she was cheating on April. It was a crazy thought, but...she didn't like the idea of Stephanie and Jackson. "Has he called you?" she spoke up, interrupting the chatter.

"No, not yet," Stephanie frowned.

Addison gave Reed a disapproving frown. "I'm sure he was just busy with practice," she assured Stephanie. "Those guys practice _all_ of the time."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Stephanie assured her with a wave of her hand. "If he doesn't call me, I'll just have to remind him how hot I am."

"Easy there, maneater," Naomi teased. "He's supposed to pursue you, remember?"

"That's so outdated, Nay," Addison rolled her eyes. "If you want him, you've got to make it happen. That's what I did with Derek, and look at us now."

"You _are_ the power couple," Stephanie admitted with a thoughtful nod. "Maybe you can get Derek to bring him to our table at lunch today?"

"Consider it done," Addison replied with a snap of her fingers. "See you then." She blew them kisses before moving down the hall. Addison's face fell as she turned away from her friends. To be honest, she wasn't sure what was happening between her and Derek. She hadn't heard from him all weekend. He usually sent a text or something, but she hadn't heard anything from him in two days. And she refused to call him. Addison Montgomery did _not_ chase after a guy. Sure, it was fine for someone like Stephanie, but Addison was too good to chase someone. If he couldn't give her the attention she wanted, she'd simply replace him.

A thought crossed Addison's mind as she slid into her desk in Physics. What if Derek was seeing that God awful girl dressed in black? The one he had waved at last week? The thought made Addison laugh outloud. She covered with a cough when some of her classmates looked over at her strangely.

No, it was impossible. Why would Derek slum it with someone like _that_ when he could have someone like herself?

Addison tuned out the instructor as her mind roamed. It had been weeks since she and Derek were intimate. Come to think of it...Derek hadn't been showing any interest in _being_ intimate. Maybe she'd have to turn up the fire. Her parents were going to a benefit tonight and wouldn't be home until late... A smile crossed Addison's lips as she eased her phone from her purse and sent Derek a quick text.

Derek froze as his phone dinged in Trigonometry.

Mark looked over to Derek with a raised eyebrow, then shot his hand up. "Mr. Sellars, could you explain problem number three, please? I spent two hours on it, and _still_ couldn't get it."

Derek gave his best friend a thankful look before easing the phone from his pocket and switched it to vibrate. His eyes skimmed over the message that came in before he stuffed the phone back into the pocket of his jeans. Addison was _crazy_ if she thought he was actually coming over tonight. Derek had hoped that ignoring her for the weekend would piss her off, but obviously it hadn't. He was going to have to go about this a different way.

The only reason Derek hadn't broken up with her yet was because he knew Addison. She'd turn everyone against him, and as soon as Meredith entered the picture, she'd turn the school against her as well. Cheating on her wasn't an option. Dumping her wasn't an option. The only thing he could come up with was to make her break up with him, but the girl had thick skin.

Derek pushed the thoughts of Addison from his mind. He couldn't be thinking of her now; he had to focus. He had to keep up his four point oh if he wanted a shot at Princeton.

Addison sent him three more texts throughout the morning, one of them including a picture she'd taken in the girls' bathroom between classes. Man, she was pulling out all the stops. Derek ignored each one.

After dropping off his books in fourth period, Derek started towards the lunchroom, but stopped just outside the door. Inside, he could see Addison, Naomi, Reed, and Stephanie gathered at the jock table. Right amongst the football team and cheer leading squad sat The Bitch Clique. "Watch it," he snapped as something banged into him from behind.

"Derek, hey, sorry," Jackson apologized as he returned his phone to his pocket. "What are you doing?"

"Avoiding my girlfriend," Derek sighed and leaned back against some lockers.

"What did she...oh shit," Jackson cursed, darting over beside Derek.

Derek looked over to him. "Stephanie?"

"Yeah," Jackson rolled his eyes. "Why the hell did you introduce me to her?"

"Addison wouldn't stop nagging me until I did," Derek replied, peeking into the cafeteria door and ducking out of the way when Addison looked his way. "Not into her?"

"No," Jackson stated bluntly.

Derek pursed his lips. "Come on," he said, patting Jackson on the shoulder.

"Where are we going?" Jackson asked, following behind the quarterback.

"We're ditching," Derek announced. "We'll hit McDonalds, get some lunch, and be back in time for fourth period. Sound good?"

"Hell yeah," Jackson sighed, relieved. Something besides the school slop _and_ getting to avoid Stephanie? What could be better?

Just as promised, Derek and Jackson were back right as the bell rang to dismiss lunch. They blended into the crowd and managed to avoid The Bitch Clique

Derek knew that Addison would be waiting for him after seventh period. You didn't ignore someone like Addison without some repercussions. Derek spent the next three periods planning what he was going to say to her. He had to tow a very careful line; he had to say enough to piss her off, but not say too much so that she waited for him after practice. Derek rounded the corner after seventh period was dismissed and saw Addison leaned against his locker. He inwardly groaned. "Hey," he forced out.

"Hey," Addison frowned, moving over so he could open his locker. "I've been texting you all day."

"Yeah, I turned my phone off after the fifth text," Derek replied as he grabbed a binder from his locker.

"Did you get the picture?" Addison asked coyly and ran her finger up and down his arm.

"Deleted it."

Addison dropped her hand. "Why?"

Derek looked over to her. "We're not supposed to have phones in class," he reminded her. "I wasn't going to get busted with porn in case mine was taken up."

"It wasn't porn," Addison snapped defensively.

"Could have fooled me," Derek replied and slammed his locker shut.

"What is _with_ you?!" Addison screeched.

"I've just got a lot on my mind," Derek blew her off. "I'll call you tonight." He turned and walked towards the field.

"Don't bother!" Addison yelled after him, her stomping heels announcing her departure.

Derek's entire body relaxed as he entered the locker room. At least he had a few moments of peace. "Hey guys," he greeted and dropped his books onto the bench.

"Coach is going to be late," Owen reported as he entered the locker room. "He's got a meeting with the principal, but he said for us to start drills."

"We're going to need it if we're going to beat the Knights this week," Derek agreed as he changed into his jersey. "Let's do the half line scrimmage drill."

"Good call," Owen grinned and jogged from the locker room.

"Yeah, good call," Alex groaned and followed suit.

Derek chuckled to himself as he ran from the locker room. As soon as he hit the field, he scanned the stands, finding himself smiling when his eyes landed on Meredith. He waved at her, but frowned when she didn't wave back. "Hey, Mark!" he called. "Take my place. I'll be right back." Derek jogged over to the stands. "Meredith?" he asked unsurely.

Meredith jarred, looking around before finally noticing Derek. "Derek!" she exclaimed, moving to her feet, then falling back onto her butt. "Ooppss," she laughed, toppling over onto the stand.

Derek jumped onto the bleachers, climbing over the railing and moving beside her. "Meredith?" he asked, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Meredith slurred. "Jusssss fine."

Derek's eyes widened. "Are you drunk?!" he hissed, looking around to see if Coach O'Malley had made it onto the field yet.

"Just...a...little," Meredith whispered and held her fingers up. "Want some?"

"No, I'm good," Derek replied, helping her to sit up straight. "What happened?"

"I have a sister," Meredith blurted out, sighing heavily. "I saw her at the game Friday...my mom never told me...I have a sister..."

Derek sat down beside her slowly, putting his arm around her. It made sense to him now. "I need to take you home," he said quietly, scanning the football field again for the coach. If they caught Meredith, she'd be suspended, if not expelled.

"I'm fine," Meredith slurred and pushed him away. "Go...playball!" She threw her arm up as she spoke.

"Wrong game," Derek replied dryly.

"I have a sister," Meredith spoke softly, hanging her head.

"Meredith," Derek pleaded quietly. "Let me take you home. Your mom is going to kill you if you get expelled."

"Fine, fine," Meredith snapped, jumping to her feet and nearly falling over in the process.

Derek managed to catch her before she hit the bleachers. He helped her to stand up straight and carefully lead her to his truck. He helped her up into the seat and carefully buckled the seatbelt around her frame.

"I have a sister," Meredith said sadly as they rode towards her house.

"I know," Derek replied quietly, feeling sympathy for the girl. This had obviously rocked her world. He couldn't imagine what it would feel like if he ran into a brother tomorrow. "It's going to be okay, Mer."

"Youknow," she ran her words together. "I thought he was coming back."

"Who?" Derek asked, looking to her with furrowed brows.

"My dad."

Derek swallowed a lump in his throat. He understand that feeling. He thought his father was coming back too... "You could look at this as a good thing," he offered. "You have a sister. That's cool."

"I hate her," Meredith stated matter-of-factly.

"You can't hate someone you don't know," Derek pointed out.

"I can hate whoever I want," Meredith replied before opening his glove box and meddling through his papers.

Derek bit back a smile. It was pointless to argue with a drunk, but...Meredith was quite the adorable drunk. "Here we are," he announced several minutes later as he pulled into her driveway. "It doesn't look like your mom is home..."

"What else is new?" Meredith mumbled and tugged on the seatbelt. "Help! I'm stuck!"

Derek laughed to himself as he climbed from his truck and walked around to Meredith's side. "Be still," he said after opening the door. He unbuckled the seatbelt gently. "Come on, take it slow," he said as he helped her ease down.

Meredith lost her balance and fell into his arms. "You're so cute," she cooed and ran her fingers through his hair.

"I get that a lot," Derek said patiently. "Where's your key?"

Meredith reached into her pocket and pulled it out victoriously. "Here it is!"

Derek plucked it from her hand. "Can you walk?"

"No," Meredith said and laughed.

Derek pursed his lips and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

"Yeehaw!" Meredith laughed. "Nice ass, Shepherd!"

Derek outright laughed as he opened the door to her home. She was adorable. "What's your friend doing today?"

"Cristina?" Meredith chirped.

"Yeah, Cristina," Derek said as he set her on her feet.

"Studying," Meredith stated. "She's a nerd," she whispered, then doubled over laughing.

"Can I see your phone?" Derek asked as Meredith stretched her arms and yawned. Once she handed it over, he sent Cristina a quick text asking her to come over and keep an eye on Meredith. "Mer, I have to go, okay? I've got practice."

"Gooooooooooooo, Lions!" Meredith cheered.

"We're the Tigers."

"Oh yeah!" she laughed and fell back onto the couch.

"I'm going to call you tonight, okay?" Derek promised as he eased Meredith's shoes off. "I want you to lay down and sleep it off, okay?" he asked and helped her lay back on the couch.

"You're so cute," Meredith purred.

"Thanks," Derek smiled politely and pulled a blanket onto her. "Sleep it off." Derek froze as Meredith gave him a strange look, then put her hands on both sides of his face. "Meredith?" he asked, his mouth dry. Derek's eyes closed as Meredith guided his mouth to hers, delivering a heart stopping, yet sloppy kiss.

"Goodnight, Derek," Meredith murmured when she released him.

Derek watched as her eyes drifted closed. His fingers moved to his lips, which were tingling. "Goodnight, Meredith," he whispered before backing out of the house slowly. He felt more in that drunken kiss with Meredith than he'd _ever_ felt with Addison. No matter how hard it was going to be, Derek had to end things with Addison. And end them quickly.


	7. Chapter 7 - Drama, Drama, Drama

**A/N - No copyright infringement intended regarding the work of William Shakespeare. Thanks to goodreads . com for the R&J quotes**

Chapter 7 - Drama, Drama, Drama

Alex mopped his face with a dry towel and hung it around his neck before running towards the locker room after Coach dismissed practice. "Thanks for the extra twenty laps, Shepherd," Alex growled.

"I had an emergency," Derek frowned.

"Yeah, get off his back, Karev," Mark spoke up. "You need the practice anyway," he grinned and threw a towel at the sophomore.

"Very funny," Alex smirked before hitting the showers. After showering and dressing, he bid the team fairwell and ran out to the parking lot. Minutes later Alex was wheeling into the Kepner driveway. He gave April a wave as she sat on the porch swing yapping away on her cell phone. Alex tried to catch pieces of the conversation, but she became suddenly mute as he climbed the stairs to the porch. As soon as he closed the front door behind him, he heard her voice fill the air again.

"Mom says it's your turn to set the table," Alice called from livingroom.

"And you're late," Kimmie chimed in.

Alex rolled his eyes at the Kepner sisters and moved into the dining room. "I'm sorry," he apologized as his eyes settled on Karen Kepner, his adopted mother for all intents and purposes. "Derek was late to practice, so Coach kept us for extra laps."

"It's okay, Alex," Karen replied gently. "Just next time give us a call, okay? I was worried about you."

"Okay," Alex replied sheepishly and gathered seven dinner plates from the cabinet. He still wasn't fully comfortable with having someone 'worry' about him. Neither of his real parents cared where he was or what he did. It was still an adjustment for him to live in the Kepner house where people...loved him. "Who's April yapping to?" he asked as he set the plates around the table.

"Arizona...Lexie...somebody," Karen laughed and shrugged. "I lose track of who she is and is not speaking to."

"Seems she has a lot to say," Alex mused, watching April through the window. He wondered if she was talking about the mystery guy she had a crush on. A thought entered his mind as he hurriedly lay out the silverware. "I'm going to wash up."

"Go ahead," Karen nodded as she checked something in the oven. "We have about fifteen minutes until dinner."

"Great," Alex smiled innocently before checking on Alice and Kimmie in the living room. "Where's Libby?" he asked; he didn't need the eldest sister ruining his plan.

"She's out with friends tonight," Karen answered.

Perfect. Alex hurried up the stairs and glanced behind him before slipping into April's room. "Neat freak," he muttered, seeing all of her belongings neatly stacked and tucked away. His eyes skimmed the room before he moved to her desk. He pulled open the drawers, rifling through her belongings quickly. He didn't see anything that would resemble a diary.

Alex moved to her bookcase, looking over her books quickly before moving to the closet. "Hmmm," he muttered, scanning her room again as he closed her closet door. His eyes settled on her bed before he darted to it and kneeled, running his arm under her mattress. "Jackpot," he grinned, pulling out a thin leather bound book.

Alex sat indian-style in the floor and opened the book, hurriedly skimming the pages for a name he may recognize.

_Dear Diary,_  
_I was so angry with Jackson today! Not only did he get us that report in Spanish, but then he didn't even show up to the library on time! I got there early, but he didn't get there until an hour later! I swear, I wanted to hit him! I was very mean to him, but then...he told me the reason he was late. Jackson overslept because he stayed up late writing the report. After the game and Mark's party Jackson wrote our report. The whole thing. All ten pages of it. He is so sweet! I felt bad for being mean to him, so we went out for lunch. I've always thought Jackson was cute, but today I got to know him. He's funny and charming..._

Alex's eyes widened as he read a few more paragraphs in April's diary. Jackson! April had a crush on Jackson! Alex stuffed the diary back under her mattress and sat stunned for a moment. He wasn't sure how he felt about April crushing on Jackson. Jackson was an okay guy, and April could do worse, but... "Never gonna happen," Alex decided as he pushed himself to his feet. Jackson was eager to nail one of The Bitch Clique...there was no way he was nailing Alex's almost sister. Nope, not gonna happen.

Alex started from the room and bumped into April. "Hey," he muttered.

April looked to him with a raised eyebrow. "What were you doing in my room?"

Alex looked back into her room, frantically trying to come up with a quick lie. "I, uh, wanted to, uh, see if you brought home your history book?"

"No, I left it at school," April replied and narrowed her eyes. "You could have at least asked me, you know?"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Alex apologized. "But, umm, you were on the phone, and I didn't want to interrupt."

"Oh, okay," April seemed satisfied. "I was talking with Lexie. Arizona and I are excused from varsity practice tomorrow so we can help junior varsity. You know, since they have a game Thursday."

"Uh huh," Alex replied and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. The quickest way to lose him in a conversation was to begin talking about varsity this and junior varsity that. What was the difference? "Dinner is going to be ready soon. See you then."

April turned, watching as Alex moved downstairs. "Hmmm," she mused. Something didn't seem right. April looked back to her room, skimming over everything. Nothing seemed out of place. "You're losing it," April muttered to herself before closing her door to change clothes.

The next day April walked into her fifth period Drama class in the auditorium, her eyes instantly landing on Jackson. She felt the flutter in her stomach and her heart pick up speed as she moved to the seat beside him. "Hey, Jackson," she spoke casually and set her backpack in the floor.

Jackson looked over, doing a double take. He hadn't noticed April this morning in Spanish since he was moved to a desk across the room from her, but now...wow. April was breathtaking. Her denimn capris showed off her toned legs, and her white blouse enhanced her summer tan. "H-hey," he stuttered, looking back towards the stage as their teacher called for everyone's attention.

"Class!" Mrs. Doorman called, clapping her hands. "Today, we are going to pair up to practice scenes from the most romantic plays in the history of theatre." She sighed dramatically. "_Romeo and Juliet_!" She frowned deeply as the guys in the class groaned. "I want you two, and you two, and you two," she continued, moving down the rows of students.

April looked over to Jackson as they were assigned partners. "I guess it's you and me," she spoke brightly as she turned to face him.

"Yeah, I guess so," Jackson replied quietly as Mrs. Doorman began to pass out scripts.

"I suggest that you get to work rather than socialize," Mrs. Doorman suggested. "You have thirty minutes to practice before you are to present the scene to the class."

"Just like with that mime exercise yesterday," April muttered. The day before Mrs. Doorman assigned the class the task of pulling a rope. She wanted details of fingers curling around the imaginary rope and hips moving as they pulled the rope. It seemed everyone had been complimented except for April.

"You did a great job," Jackson offered, knowing April felt bad about her performance. "Thank you," he said as Mrs. Doorman handed him their scene. He passed a sheet to April before his eyes skimmed the typed words on the paper.

Oh boy.

A small gasp caught in April's throat. "Oh, wow, this is..."

"Yeah," Jackson replied dryly, swallowing hard.

April licked her lips instinctively. "This _is_ a romance," she offered, glancing over to him shyly.

"At least we're comfortable with each other," Jackson joked. "If not...we're definitely going to be comfortable with each other after this."

April laughed softly before clearing her throat. She could do this. "We should probably get started...we don't have much time."

Forty minutes later April sat with her fingers crossed. Class was almost over, and if luck was on her side, she and Jackson would _not_ have to perform their scene from _Romeo and Juliet_. There was only enough time for maybe one more performance, and April didn't want it to be their scene. She and Jackson had _the_ scene from the play; the most popular scene of the play. The scene that involved not one, but two kisses. She and Jackson skipped over the kisses; each one nervously agreeing that they couldn't be spotted making out.

"Wonderful Charles and Cristina," Mrs. Doorman clapped, standing and looking over her clipboard. "We only have time for one more...Jackson and April! Please, take us back to the time of romance!"

April felt her heart plummet to her feet. She stood quickly, nearly tripping over her backpack. Jackson's arm wrapped around her waist, preventing her from face planting. "Relax," he whispered in her ear. "This isn't the mime exercise. At least you can speak this time."

"Thanks," April whispered after taking a shaky breath. She felt her legs wobbling as she made her way up the stairs to the stage. She clutched the script tightly in her hand as beads of sweat popped onto her forehead. Her eyes moved to Jackson as he stood beside her.

Jackson cleared his throat nervously, his mouth feeling like sawdust. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this," he spoke, reaching out and taking April's hand as his eyes settled on hers. "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." He leaned down and pressed his lips to her knuckles.

April gasped at the touch of his lips, which was actually in character, thank goodness. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much," she gasped, pulling her hand away and turning from Jackson. "Which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch," she spoke, holding her hand up. She felt her cheeks flame as Jackson touched his palm to hers. "And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

Jackson looked to their hands, his fingers twining with April's. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" he whispered, looking to her.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," April replied, pulling her hand from his.

"Oh, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grand thou, lest faith turn to despair."

April stepped away from him, Jackson following after her. "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."

Jackson leaned closer to her, his hand moving to her side. At least he had an excuse to kiss her. "Then move not, while my prayers' effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." He pressed his lips to hers gently, slowly at first.

April felt the fireworks in her body the moment Jackson kissed her. "Then have my lips the sin that they have took," she whispered after Jackson pulled back.

"Sin from thy lips?" Jackson whispered, his hand tightening at her side. "Oh trespass sweetly urged. Give me my sin again." He leaned to her mouth again, deepening the kiss as April's arm wrapped around his neck.

"Wonderful!" Mrs. Doorman exclaimed, jumping from her seat and clapping. Slowly, the other students clapped as well. "That was wonderful, simply wonderful! You truly captured the romance and desires of the characters. You _are_ Romeo and Juliet!"

April stood in a daze, gazing to Jackson dreamily. "Good acting," she stuttered, jarring from her daze as the bell rang loudly.

"Yeah, you too," Jackson replied as Mrs. Doorman dismissed the class.

"See you at practice this afternoon," April said before hurrying to her seat and yanking up her backpack. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks, and she didn't want Jackson to know what an impact that kiss had on her. She'd never felt anything like that before.

April had only kissed one other boy; a boy named George. He was her first boyfriend, but he transferred during holiday break last year. She rarely even heard from him anymore. Not that it mattered; she hadn't thought much of him until then. Sure, George was the first boy who kissed her, but...Jackson was the first boy who _really_ kissed her. April smiled as her fingers moved to her lips; they were still warm from Jackson's touch. She giggled to herself as she stopped at her locker and deposited her books. April straightened her face as her eyes spotted Lexie coming down the hall towards her. She had to hide her feelings; she wasn't ready for an interrogation. "Hey, Lexie," she smiled as the freshman stopped beside her. "Don't forget, Arizona and I are helping with practice today."

"Thanks again!" Lexie exclaimed. "We need it. I'm so nervous about our game Thursday!"

"You're going to do great," April assured her. "I wish I could say the same about the freshman team..."

"I know, right?" Lexie giggled. "I'll see you later!" Lexie moved through the halls, managing to make it to her Earth Science class unharmed. The upper classmen were actually aware of her presence now and didn't mow over her. Lexie slipped into her desk, pulling out her textbook and setting it on the desktop along with her pencils.

There was a substitute in class that day, so the students were put in pairs to work on vocabulary words for the first five chapters of their textbook. Lexie was partnered with a girl named Jo Wilson; the same girl she'd met briefly on the first day of school in the cafeteria. "Hey, you might not remember me, but I'm Lexie," Lexie introduced herself. "We met..."

"Yeah, I remember you," Jo cut her off and rolled her eyes. "I got stuck with a cheerleader," she remarked and flipped open her textbook.

Lexie frowned deeply. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?!" she demanded.

Jo looked up to her. "It means exactly what you think it means. I'm actually trying to do better for myself, but I get stuck with an airhead who probably doesn't know the difference between lithosphere and cryosphere."

Lexie's brows knit together. "Lithosphere is the crust of the Earth, and cryosphere is water in the solid form...like glaciers and ice caps."

Jo's eyebrows raised. "Impressive," she remarked blandly. "Maybe you're not as ditzy as I thought."

"I'm not ditzy," Lexie snapped. "You shouldn't judge people you don't know. And you certainly shouldn't stereotype them." She licked her lips, a bit of spunk running through her veins. "Because if I stereotyped you as you stereotyped me, I'd peg you as a goth loser."

"I'm not a loser," Jo frowned.

"And I'm not an airhead," Lexie retorted.

"Okay, fine," Jo sighed. "I'm sorry for judging you. I just know how cheerleaders were at my last school..."

"I haven't even been a cheerleader that long," Lexie laughed. "I only joined the squad because my mom talked me into it."

"Your mom was a cheerleader, huh?" Jo asked.

"Yes," Lexie rolled her eyes. "She swears it looks great on college applications, and it's a good way to make friends." She opened her textbook to chapter one. "So you just transferred here or something?"

Jo shifted uncomfortably. She didn't like many people knowing that she'd been in and out of foster homes since she was five. "Yeah, my parents are divorced," she lied. "I was living with my mom, but I hated the guy she married, so I'm living with my dad now."

Lexie nodded. "I don't know what I'd do if my parents divorced."

Jo coughed, looking down to her book. "Do you want to do these words one chapter at a time, or split the words in each chapter?" she changed subjects.

"Let's take them one chapter at a time," Lexie replied. "I'll take one and three, you do two and four, and we'll do chapter five together?"

"Sounds good," Jo said and flipped to chapter two. She didn't mean to cut Lexie off, but she wasn't very comfortable talking about herself or her past. Not everyone could handle having a friend who was a foster child. It made them feel uncomfortable. Then, they felt the need to make up for the fact that Jo didn't grow up in a stable home; she hated being someone's charity case. "Dang, are you finished already?" she gaped, watching as Lexie flipped over to chapter three.

Lexie blushed. "Yeah, uh, I have a photographic memory."

Jo studied her for a moment. "Liar."

"I swear," Lexie laughed.

Jo raised an eyebrow. "We discussed the preamble to the Constitution in history today. Recite it."

Lexie smirked. "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense...I can keep going if you want."

Jo sat there stunned. "Holy crap! How in the world did you find out you have a photographic memory?"

"It started when I was ten," Lexie answered. "I was taking a spelling test, and when the teacher called out the word...I saw the page from my spelling book in my mind. When she called out the next word, I saw that page too."

"That is crazy," Jo mused, clearly impressed. "You can do it with anything?"

"Anything I've read before, yes," Lexie nodded.

"Wow," Jo breathed. "I'm totally copying off of you this year."

The two freshman managed to form a friendship that day, despite their snap-judgements of one another. Lexie felt better as she left the science lab; it was nice knowing she at least had a friend who was a freshman. April was great, but April was a sophomore. Lexie needed a friend who was in her class.

"Mark?" Lexie questioned as she approached her locker. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Lexie," Mark greeted, moving over as she opened her locker. "I just wanted to know how you're adjusting to Seattle High."

Lexie's brows crinkled as she looked at him. Was he serious? "I'm fine...thanks for asking," she replied, giving him a look before stuffing her books into her locker and pulling out her gymbag.

Mark coughed and looked down to the ground. "I was also wondering if you have any plans Saturday night?"

Lexie glanced to him as she pulled her bag onto her shoulder and shut her locker. "No, I don't think so."

Mark nodded slowly. He wasn't sure why, but...he was nervous. Usually he had no problem asking girls out, but he actually nervous this time. Which was crazy, because Lexie was a freaking freshman. He was a senior; she should be honored that he was asking her out. "I was thinking maybe we could do something?"

"Do something?" Lexie questioned, her eyebrows raising. "You mean, do something that makes me another notch in your bedpost? I don't think so." She spun on her heel and started walking up the hall.

Mark stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before jogging to catch up to her. "Whatever you've heard about me...you've got it all wrong."

"Oh, really?" Lexie asked, glancing over to him. "You're telling me that my multiple sources are wrong?"

"Your multiple sources are probably scorned women," Mark reasoned. "I don't think you should judge me based on rumors. You should get to know me...because I want to get to know you." He knew it sounded lame, but he wasn't ready for Lexie to refuse him; he actually expected her to gladly accept his invitation.

Lexie sighed with frustration. Had he been lurking outside of her Earth Science class? "If I agree," she ventured, "what would we do?"

"A movie?" Mark suggested. "Maybe we could catch a burger or something afterwards."

Lexie bit her lip, the temptation of Mark almost too much to resist. "I can't," she finally sighed.

"Can't?" Mark asked, clearly confused. "Why? Do you have a boyfriend or something?"

Lexie chewed her lip now. "I...I'm only allowed to date in groups."

"Groups," Mark mused.

"Yeah," Lexie whispered. "It's my mom's rule. I can't really date, date until I'm sixteen."

"So, next year?" Mark clarified.

"Two years," Lexie blushed. "I skipped seventh grade."

Mark's eyes widened. Great. He was attracted to a fetus. "That makes me feel dirty."

Lexie laughed nervously. "As long as we don't have sex, we're good."

Was she honestly talking about sex to him?! "What if I got us a group?" he asked. "Your mom would let you go then?"

"As far as I know," Lexie shrugged.

"I can do this," Mark said, rubbing his hands together. He was enjoying the challenge of Lexie Grey already. "I'll have us a group together by the end of practice. Ask your mom tonight!" Mark ducked into Physics class. "Hey, man, I need you Saturday night?" he said as he clapped Derek on the shoulder.

"For what?" Derek asked as Mark settled into the desk behind him.

"I've got a date."

"And you need me?" Derek asked with raised eyebrows. "Why? To provide refreshments?"

"No," Mark rolled his eyes. "The girl can only date in groups, so, I need a group. I'm going to ask Addie and her girls to join us. That should be a big enough group."

Derek turned around in his desk and looked at his bestfriend. "Who the hell did you ask out?"

"A freshman."

Derek made a face. "Not that new girl Kepner has been mentoring?" he groaned. "You can't keep running through cheerleaders."

"I'm not running through cheerleaders," Mark snapped defensively. "I'm actually interested in this one."

"Oh, really?" Derek asked skeptically. "What's her name?"

"You think I don't know her name?"

"What's her name?" Derek repeated.

"Lexie Grey," Mark replied with an arrogant smirk.

Derek turned around slowly in his desk. Grey...Lexie Grey...could it be? If only he could figure out a way to invite Meredith! "What?!" he hissed as Mark kicked the back of his seat.

"Are you in?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, count me in."

"Great," Mark grinned. "Just a few more."

After seventh period dismissed, Mark hurried from the classroom. "Tell Coach I had to stop in at the counselor's office," he called to Derek. "I'm going to catch up with Addie." Mark hurried through the hall, maneuvering his way through the sea of students. "Addie!" he called as he spotted Addison leaving her locker.

Addison stopped and looked to him. "What's up, Mark?"

"I need a favor," Mark informed her. "I'm putting together a group for the movies Saturday night. You and Derek want to come?"

Addison shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. If Derek gets over whatever mood he's in," she rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"He already said he's coming," Mark replied and glanced up the hall, spotting Alex and Jackson. "Karev! Avery!" He looked back to Addison. "Bring a couple of your girls, okay?"

Addison looked over her shoulder, spotting Jackson. "Get Jackson to come. Stephanie has a thing for him, and..."

"You want to play cupid?" Mark finished with a smirk.

"You know me," Addison grinned and placed a kiss to Mark's cheek. "See you later."

"Later," Mark called and jogged over to Alex and Jackson. "Hey, guys, a bunch of us are getting together Saturday night at the movies. You should come."

"Sure," Jackson shrugged, slamming his locker shut.

"Why not," Alex chimed in. "You inviting any hot chicks on this little outing?"

"Addie is bringing some of her girls," Mark smirked, punching Alex in the shoulder. "See you at practice."

Jackson felt Alex's eyes on him. "Well," he said, working up some fake confidence. "Looks like Reed and I will have a chance to snuggle up at the movies. You're _so_ going to be doing my homework."

"We'll see," Alex replied, watching as he teammate headed towards the locker room. He still wasn't sure if he was buying this whole thing of Jackson being into Reed. Alex worked his cell from his pocket and dialed April's number. "Hey, Mark's putting together a movie thing Saturday night," he said after April picked up. "You wanna come?"

"Sure, that sounds like fun," April exclaimed. "See you at practice."

Alex smiled to himself as he ended the call and slid his phone back into his pocket. Movie night was going to be _very_ interesting after all.


	8. Chapter 8 - The Plot Thickens

Chapter 8 - The Plot Thickens

"Let's go, Tigers, let's go," April cheered that afternoon as she lead the junior varsity squad.

Arizona moved through the younger cheerleaders, adjusting hands and arms when necessary. "Very good, Lexie," she complimented, lingering to study the girl's form. "Move up there beside April."

"Good job," April encouraged, smiling widely as Lexie stood beside her. "Remember, keep your back straight, tighten those core muscles, and smile. Let's try it again."

Arizona studied the girls. They weren't the worst junior varsity squad to hit Seattle High, but they were close. Lexie was the best girl in the group. Arizona wasn't quite sure how many of these girls would actually make it to varsity next year. She tried to remember that this was their first real practice before their first game Thursday. "Watch Lexie this time too," she encouraged. "I'm not sure if all of you can see April." Arizona tried to smooth over the obvious fact that Lexie was the best one there; she didn't want to crush the girls' spirits.

April and Arizona lead the junior varsity squad through cheers for another hour before deciding to switch to tumbling. The girls were very good at tumbling; excellent in fact. Their tumbling skills alone could win a competition. Arizona felt better after the girls flipped and tumbled; it was obvious they were just scared to thrust their voices in front of bleachers packed with screaming football plans. She didn't blame them for that at all. Arizona herself was terrified the first time she cheered at a game. "Great job," she beamed and gave them a round of applause. "You're an excellent squad, so don't be shy, okay?" She looked over to April. "Should we teach them a basic lift?"

"I think so," April nodded, then smiled at the squad. "They're ready." She watched the girls visibly relax and actually smile. "Why don't we start with Lexie? She's the smallest." April was very careful with the words she used. Lexie was the thinnest girl, but if April said that, the rest of the squad may end up anorexic.

Lexie felt a cold chill run down her spine. She wasn't very comfortable with being thrown around and possibly dropped. "Can we work with one of you first?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Of course," Arizona smiled and pat her on the shoulder gently. "I want you, you, and you," she instructed, pulling three girls from the squad.

Lexie eased towards the back of the group as she noticed the football players run onto the field for practice. Her eye was naturally drawn to Mark. He gave her a wave and a dazzling smile. Lexie waved back shyly before looking back to Arizona and April. Arizona was informing the girls how to hold April's legs and feet after she was in the air. Lexie tried to focus, but she kept looking to Mark. Her eyes widened when he said something to Derek and then jogged towards her. "You can't be here," Lexie hissed after he joined her side.

"I just wanted to say hey," Mark smirked. "Oh, and I have us a group for Saturday."

"You've put one together already?" Lexie gaped, looking to him with wide eyes. "How is that even possible?"

Mark grinned. "Football player, hello?"

Lexie looked back to Arizona, seeing that the junior varsity girls actually had April in the air. "It's not going to be a bunch of jocks, is it?"

"And The Bitch Clique," Mark chuckled. "It's good," he started, but was interrupted by shrieks from the squad. It seemed to happen in slow motion, yet in the speed of light, all at one time. One second Mark was standing beside Lexie talking, the next second April was falling backwards, and the third second Mark lunged forward to catch her. "Are you okay?!" he exclaimed after April landed safely in his arms.

April let out a shaky sigh and nodded. "Y-yeah," she stuttered. "I think so."

"Can you stand?" Mark asked, studying her. Her face was practically white with fear. When April nodded, he eased her down to her feet. "Give her some air," he barked as the junior varsity girls crowded around her, squealing their apologies.

Lexie shifted to the background as everyone gathered around April. Football practice briefly paused as the team ran towards the cheerleaders. Alex went to April's side while Mark proceeded to yell at Arizona, and Jackson and Derek guided the cheerleaders away from the shaken April.

This was a family.

This group of jocks as Lexie so flippantly called them seconds earlier were a tight knit family. All of them were affected by the possibility of one of their own being injured.

This whole dynamic appealed to Lexie on a deep level. Lexie had a younger sister named Molly. Lexie was the older sister which meant Lexie was the protective one. Lexie was the one sticking her neck out for Molly. Lexie was the one taking the blame if Molly screwed up. That's what big sisters did. But here...here Lexie could finally be the little sister. Lexie could have a whole crew of big brothers and sisters who would take care of her. Protect her. Love her. The idea made Lexie realize that joining the cheer leading squad was the best decision of her life.

Practice was handed over to the junior varsity captain as Arizona made sure April was looked over by the school nurse, despite April's protest that she was fine. Unfortunately, the junior varsity captain was one of the ones who managed to drop April, so she dismissed practice immediately. They would make up for it the next day.

"Is she going to be okay?" Lexie fretted as Mark returned to her side.

"She seems okay," Mark shrugged and looked to the freshman. "What?" he asked as his brows furrowed. Lexie had a dreamy look in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lexie finally answered. "It's just...you guys just kinda...swooped in there and took care of her."

"Yeah, so?" Mark shrugged. "That's how we do..."

"That's awesome," Lexie grinned.

Mark looked to her for a second, then shook his head and laughed. Lexie was a very unique girl. "Stay for practice," he said as the Coach blew his whistle. "I'll give you a ride home."

"Okay," Lexie replied dreamily and turned towards the bleachers. She frowned as her eyes landed on the girls she had run into during the game Friday night. Well, technically they had run into her, but whatever. Lexie looked around as the blonde girl motioned for her to join them. "Me?" she asked and pointed to herself.

"Mer, this isn't a good idea," Cristina advised as Meredith waved over the freshman. "I'm telling you, you're going to regret this."

"She has a right to know," Meredith frowned. "Plus...we might be able to be friends."

Cristina gave her a skeptical look. "Yeah, I'm sure you two will go out for ice cream after you drop the bomb on her. Hey, I'm your sister," she mimicked in a high pitched voice. "I just wanted you to know. Let's bond over an ice cream cone."

"Stop that," Meredith gasped and slapped her friend on the leg. "I don't even talk like that!"

"You totally do," Cristina teased and stood. "I'm going to leave you to your little _Full House_ bonding moment. Give me a call later and tell me how it went, okay?"

"Thanks for the support!" Meredith called sarcastically behind her. She laughed when Cristina threw her the finger. Only she would understand that it was Cristina's way of supporting her. Meredith took a breath as Lexie approached her unsurely. "Hey," she started weakly. Now that the moment was here...Meredith wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say to the girl. This was life changing news! Should she just blurt it out or ease into it? "We, uh, bumped into each other Friday night."

"I remember," Lexie replied as she cautiously sat down a few feet away from Meredith. "You ran into me."

"Yeah, that's me," Meredith forced laughter. "I, umm, have something to tell you."

Lexie raised an eyebrow, watching as the older girl toyed with her hands nervously. "Well...go ahead..." Boy, this was awkward.

"You're Lexie Grey, right?" Meredith stuttered.

"Yes."

"And...your father is Thatcher Grey?"

Lexie looked to her skeptically. "Yeah..."

Meredith took a long breath. Here goes nothing. "My name is Meredith...Meredith Grey..."

Lexie felt as if she had the wind knocked out of her. "Grey?" she questioned in a whisper.

Meredith nodded slowly. "Yes...Thatcher Grey is my father too."

Lexie felt the color drain from her face as she gaped at the girl. "Y-You're lying!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

"I'm not lying!" Meredith snapped back. "Your father is Thatcher Grey. He was married to Ellis Grey, but she stepped out on him, so he left."

Lexie gawked at the girl. "Everybody knows that..."

Meredith narrowed her eyes. "Scotch is his go to drink."

Lexie dropped back onto the bleachers. "H-how old are you?" she whispered.

"Sixteen," Meredith replied quietly as she sat down as well. "Thatcher left when I was eighteen months old. He'd visit me every few months, but...I haven't seen him since I was eight."

Lexie felt her stomach roll. Her father, Meredith's father, had taken a lot of business trips when she was growing up. Lexie was too young to even question what kind of business her father was involved in that required him to travel; she simply believed everything her father told her. But obviously he wasn't on business-he was going to see Meredith. "Oh my God," she muttered and hung her head between her knees.

Meredith reached out to console the young girl, but withdrew her hand. This was a lot to take in...she couldn't push herself on Lexie just yet. "I know this is a lot to handle," she said gently. "I had a breakdown myself Friday night."

"I'm not breaking down," Lexie murmured and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears to retreat.

Meredith pursed her lips; Lexie clearly had Thatcher's stubbornness. "I'd like for us to get to know each other," she whispered and bit her lip.

Lexie pulled her head up and looked at Meredith. She noticed that Meredith had Thatcher's eyes; she wasn't lying. The realization made Lexie want to throw up. How could her father lie to her?! How could he pretend that he didn't have another...another...family! "I don't...I just...I need some time," she finally stuttered out.

Meredith nodded slowly; she wasn't surprised that Lexie had to digest this first. "I understand," she replied and reached into her purse, pulling out a tablet and pen. She scribbled on the paper quickly and passed the slip to Lexie. "This is my cell number and email address," she informed the girl. "Call me when...if...you're ready."

Lexie took the sheet of paper with a trembling hand and watched as Meredith stood and left quietly. Lexie sat shocked for several moments. She never knew today was going to be a milestone in her life. Lexie pushed herself up, but sat back down on the bleachers immediately. Her legs felt like jello. Lexie put her elbows to her knees and stared at the green grass of the football field as her mind roamed.

If Meredith was sixteen and she was fourteen...how had Thatcher met and married Susan so quickly? Did he even care about Ellis? Her certainly managed to move on from her at hyper speed. Better yet, did he care for Susan, or was he the type of man that just had to be married? So the next woman that crossed his path after Ellis was his chosen wife? And how could he claim to be on 'business' when he was visiting his other _daughter_?! Seriously, who did that kind of thing?!

Lexie shakily eased her phone from her pocket and text her mother, asking her to come to the school and pick her up. They needed to have a talk. Lexie held the phone and waited for a reply. Did Susan even know about Ellis and Meredith? Lexie jumped when her phone vibrated in her hand. Her mother was on her way. Lexie pushed herself up and stumbled from the bleachers.

"Lexie!" Mark called, running towards the bleachers after Coach dismissed practice. "Lexie, wait up!"

Lexie turned to Mark. She wasn't in the right frame of mind to hang with Mark today. "Hey, something came up," she replied absently, looking over his shoulder. "I've got to go."

Mark stopped and frowned. "Do you want me to take you home?" Why wasn't Lexie looking at him? He ducked into her field of vision, but she looked away again.

"No, maybe another time," Lexie waved him off. "I'm sorry, Mark, but I've got to go."

Mark stood there stunned and watched as Lexie ran from field. What...just happened? Had she seriously just blown him off? No one ever blew him off-he was Mark Sloan. Did Lexie not know that half of the school wanted to be her right now? Okay, that was a lie. Seventy-five percent of the school wanted to be her right now? There were plenty of other girls who would gladly ride home with him!

"Hey, man, you okay?" Derek asked as he slowed his jog and noticed that his best friend was staring towards the empty bleachers.

Mark jarred, then shook his head. "Yeah, man, I'm fine," he lied. "I just, uh, thought I saw someone."

"It's probably the heat," Derek said as the two jogged towards the locker room. "You should drink Gatorade instead of water during practice."

Mark rolled his eyes. "If I wanted a physical, I'd go see your mother," he teased and punched Derek in the shoulder. Mark tried to make light of Lexie blowing him off, but...it was a foreign feeling to him. Most girls did whatever he wanted, especially freshmen. What in the world could have happened to make Lexie so distracted?

The thought lingered in Mark's mind as he showered. Too bad he hadn't gotten Lexie's number yet. He guessed he'd have to wait until tomorrow to see what was going on with the girl. Mark left the showers and wrapped a towel around his waist before moving to his locker. He grasped his ringing cellphone from his duffel bag. "Hello?" he snapped as he pulled a tshirt and a pair of jeans from his bag.

"Mark, I can't do it," a voice rattled to him. "I was going to do it today, but I can't!"

"Callie?" Mark asked and pulled the phone from his ear, checking the caller ID. "What are you going to do? Tell your dad?"

"Yes, I was going to," Callie gasped as she paced in her bedroom. "You know, cause I can't tell him on Sunday, the Sabbath, but tomorrow is a church service too, and I didn't want to put it off until Saturday, but now that I'm actually about to do it...I don't think I can!"

"Slow down," Mark sighed. "You're spinning out of control."

"He's going to hate me, Mark!"

"He's not going to hate you," Mark assured her. "I'm at school now. I'll be there in fifteen minutes, okay?"

"Okay," Callie sighed, dropping onto her bed. "Thank you," she whispered before ending the call. She took a shaky breath and ran her hands through her hair. Callie had been preparing herself all day to do this. She was going to tell her father the truth; she was going to tell him that she wasn't attracted to boys, she was attracted to girls, but she wasn't sure if she was going to _do_ anything about it or not. There weren't many lesbians in her school that she knew of; if there were, they were keeping themselves very well hidden.

Callie had mentally formed the words to say to her father, but each time she reviewed them in her mind, she saw a picture of her dad dropping dead with a heart attack. Deep down Callie knew that his response wouldn't be that dramatic, but she also knew that her father was not going to be happy with her. She even suspected her may put her out to live with her aunt in California. The idea made Callie's assurance crumble, so she called Mark in a frenzy. Maybe she could find the strength to tell her father if Mark was by her side supporting her.

Callie jumped from her thoughts as the doorbell rang. She ran to the window and noted Mark's car parked by the mailbox. She supposed she couldn't blame him for ringing the doorbell; she'd have a lot of explaining to do to her father if he came to her room and found a boy there. Callie hurried from her room and was mid-way down the stairs when her father opened the door. "Hey, Dad, that's for me," she called weakly.

"Mark, hello," Carlos greeted. "Are you here to study with Callie tonight?"

"Not quite, sir," Mark replied respectively and stepped inside.

"Dad, can I see you in the den?" Callie squeaked.

Carlos looked between the two with an uneasy glance. "Okay..."

"Thanks for coming," Callie hissed behind her father's back.

"Like I'd be anywhere else," Mark smirked and draped his arm around her shoulders as the two followed Carlos into the den.

Carlos sat in the armchair facing the door and studied his daughter and her supposed 'best friend.' "Are you about to tell me that the two of you are dating?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I wish," Mark chuckled, then grunted when Callie elbowed him in the stomach.

"Dad," Callie said softly, feeling the butterflies in her stomach. She cleared her throat and looked to her hands. "I'm not dating Mark," she said shakily as she toyed with her fingers, grasping and releasing them several times. "In fact, I'm not interested in any of the boys at Seattle High..."

Mark stood back and let Callie have the floor. He respected her deeply for coming clean with her father, especially since her father happened to be Pastor of a Catholic church. Callie had guts. Mark never would have told his Pastor father of his sexual orientation; he'd have kept it secret until he was eighteen and out on his own. Then again, Mark's dad didn't care anything about him, so he probably wouldn't have cared if his son was gay. Unfortunately, Carlos was not like Mark's father. Mark could see the disapproval lining Carlos' features. Carlos wasn't a stupid man; he knew where this conversation was going. Callie was practically telling him without actually coming out and saying the words.

"What I'm trying to say," Callie stuttered, looking to her father, "is that...I'm...I'm...a lesbian."

Mark looked from Callie to Carlos. Several emotions ran across the man's face-shock, disapproval, disappointment, and finally, anger. Mark could see that the man was working himself up into a fury. The vein in the middle of Carlos' forehead protruded as his fists clenched to his side. "Sir, she's kidding!" Mark blurted out. "We have this project for Sociology, and Callie just said all of those things so that we can monitor your reaction."

Callie's head jerked to Mark as a look of surprise ran across her face. Mark returned her gaze, and something in his eyes told her to retreat. "Yeah, Mark's right," Callie lied, looking back to her father. "I'm sorry, Dad, but we needed your reaction to be genuine."

Carlos literally relaxed in his chair, then wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. "Phew," he sighed lowly, placing his hand over his heart briefly. "Thank goodness that wasn't the truth."

Mark watched as his best friend dropped her head. "Sir, may I ask how you would have handled that, if it were true?" he pushed. "So we can include that in our paper, of course."

Carlos sat and thought for a moment. "I would say that my daughter was being influenced by the devil. I would suggest she meet daily in prayer to repent of her sin, and then sin no more."

"Thank you, sir," Mark nodded since Callie remained mute. "We're sorry for doing that to you."

Callie kept her eyes on the floor as her father excused himself when the telephone rang. "What happened?!" she exclaimed as soon as the coast was clear.

"He was going to flip out," Mark whispered back. "I saw him working himself up, Cals. It was going to be a bad one..."

Callie bit her lip and looked towards the hall where her father stood chatting away on the landline. "What am I going to do?!"

"I'm not sure," Mark replied quietly and wrapped his arm around her. "Let's get out of here for a while, okay? Clear our heads."

"Sounds perfect," Callie sighed thankfully as they left the den. She motioned to her father that they were going to grab a bite to eat. He nodded his approval and whispered for them to be careful.

Mark and Callie drove to Joe's Burgers & Such in silence. Mark had honestly thought Carlos was going to be more accepting of his daughter. Maybe the man was just speaking in shock; Callie had come at him out of left field with her revelation. "I've got an idea," Mark said as they left his car and entered the restaurant.

"I hope so, cause now I really don't know what to do," Callie sighed as they slid into a booth near the window.

"Next year, you're a senior," Mark pointed out. "I think you should keep this to yourself until you move out. Your dad obviously isn't ready."

Callie chewed her lip. "He wasn't ready, was he?" she sighed, drumming her fingers on the table.

"I know I told you I thought he could handle it," Mark said, "but I was wrong. He seemed to calm down when he thought it was for a class paper."

"Sociology?" Callie questioned. "Isn't that a college course?"

"Hell if I know," Mark smirked as the waitress appeared and took their drink orders. "You weren't going to date or anything, were you?" he asked seriously after the waitress left.

"I don't know," Callie shrugged and began picking at the polish on her fingernails. "I haven't really thought about it. I mean, I was thinking more about how I was going to tell my dad, you know?"

Mark nodded and asked the waitress for a few more minutes when she returned with their drinks. "What if you meet someone? Then what?"

"Who would I meet?" Callie scoffed. "I haven't seen any other lesbians at Seattle High, have you?"

Mark raised an eyebrow. "What, you expect them to walk around with a sign around their neck? I'm sure there are plenty at school."

Callie opened her mouth to argue with him, but she noticed a blonde cheerleader at the counter who was giving Mark a look. "Is that one of your groupies?" she asked, nodding towards the girl.

Mark looked over and cringed. "That's Arizona Robbins," he sighed. "She's looking at me because I yelled at her today."

"You yelled at her?!" Callie exclaimed and slapped him on the arm.

"Yeah," Mark replied sheepishly. "She deserved it though. She let those freshmen drop April."

"Oh my God, is she okay?" Callied asked, her mouth dropping. It wasn't every day you heard of cheerleaders getting dropped on their heads.

"Yeah, I caught her," Mark shrugged. "She was scared, but fine." He bit his lip, then looked back to Arizona. "I should apologize to her..."

Callie looked back to the cheerleader. "Yeah, she looks like she's had a bad day."

Mark met Arizona's gaze and waved her over. "Come on," he called when Arizona shook her head. "Please?"

Arizona looked at the two before sighing heavily. "You're not finished yelling at me?" she frowned after joining them at their table.

Mark looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry about that," he apologized. "I was running off of adrenaline, really. I had to blame someone...and I couldn't yell at the freshmen...I don't like making women cry, you know."

Arizona rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth anyway. "I wanted to scream at them myself," she confessed, then sighed again.

"You okay?" Mark asked, studying her closely. Arizona wasn't her usual bubbly self. He'd known her for three years, and he'd never seen her so...down before.

"It's just been a bad day," Arizona mumbled and blinked back tears. "First the thing with April, and then my girlfriend dumps me, and..."

"You're a lesbian?!" Mark interrupted. "Ow!" he exclaimed as Callie swiftly kicked him under the table.

"Excuse him," Callie apologized. "He was raised by wolves. I'm..."

"Callie, right?" Arizona asked, quirking her head. "April talks about you all the time," she covered when Callie raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, well, Kepner's a prude," Callie scoffed. "But I assure you the rumors aren't true."

"They're really not," Mark piped up. "Callie's a lesbian too."

"Mark!" Callie hissed and kicked him again.

"Ow!" Mark frowned at her. "I thought she might help you."

"Help with what?" Arizona asked and looked between the two.

Callie bit her lip. "It's a long story."

"I've got time," Arizona offered, then laughed dryly. "It might even take my mind off my ex."

"I think that's a great idea," Mark smirked and slid out of the booth. "You two should talk. Here," he chunked a few bills onto the table. "Dinner is on me."

"How am I getting home?!" Callie exclaimed and glared at him.

"I'll take you," Arizona offered.

"There you go," Mark grinned and leaned down to Callie. "Call me later with all the sexy details," he grinned and placed a kiss to her temple. Mark managed to dart away from Callie before she smacked him again. "Hey, sorry," he apologized as he banged into someone.

"Mark, seriously," Addison frowned. "Watch where you're going! What if I had a drink in my hand?!"

"Then I'd be the judge of a wet tshirt contest," Mark wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ugh," Addison rolled her eyes, but kissed his cheek anyway. "Okay, so he hasn't called you at all?" she directed to Stephanie as The Bitch Clique eased into a booth towards the back of the diner.

"No," Stephanie frowned, pulling out her cell and checking her signal for the hundredth time. "He hasn't even text me!"

Reed bit back a smile and ducked her head. Yes, she was enjoying that Jackson was blowing off the arrogant freshman. Stephanie thought she was so smart and so pretty, but honestly the girl needed to be taken down a peg or two. "Maybe he's not interested," she suggested sweetly.

Addison cast Reed a disapproving frown before patting Stephanie's hand. "He's probably just busy, hun."

"He may not be able to call you until football season is over," Naomi remarked.

"I can't wait forever!" Stephanie exclaimed. "I don't wait around for guys!" She sighed in frustration. "Jackson is _so_ hot though!" She drummed her nails on the table and propped her chin in her left hand. "Are you sure he's not secretly dating someone?"

"I dunno," Reed shrugged. "I heard in seventh period from Izzie that Jackson and April had a make out session in Drama. They seem very friendly with one another..."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Addison cut her off. "Jackson is not interested in April. She's nothing compared to you, sweetie," she directed to Stephanie.

"Oh, I know," Stephanie replied.

Reed frowned. "April's hot!"

Addison quirked her head at the sophomore. "Oh really? Then why don't _you_ go hang out with her?"

Reed looked down like a chastised child. "Yeah, sure," she scoffed. "Like I want to hang with that geek."

Addison smiled with satisfaction and looked to Stephanie. "Jackson could be busy with practice, but we've got this group date coming up Saturday. There's your chance, Steph. We'll go shopping tomorrow!" She clapped her hands eagerly. "We'll get you a hot dress, do your hair, make up...Jackson will be eating out of your hand before the movie starts."

"Of course he will," Stephanie feigned confidence before the waitress interrupted them and took their orders. Stephanie slipped out of the conversation as her mind drifted. Was Jackson dating that silly cheerleader? Seriously? April wasn't half as pretty as she was! Stephanie smirked to herself as a plan developed in her mind. She'd make sure to keep an eye on Jackson and April during this group date; if Jackson was dating that little geek, Stephanie would make sure that they were broken up by the end of the night. And that was a promise.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Group Date

Chapter 9 - The Group Date

"Come on!" Jo Wilson exclaimed Thursday morning as she pounded on the door of the bathroom. "Hurry up, Owen! I have to straighten my hair! I'm going to be late!"

"You're not going to be late," Owen rolled his eyes after throwing open the bathroom door. "I was only in there for five minutes."

"More like ten," Jo glared into his back before darting into the bathroom. She plugged in her hair straightener before brushing her teeth and dabbing on a light touch of make up.

It was still an adjustment for her, living in the Hunt household and all. She'd never admit it, but this was the best home she'd ever been placed in. She'd tested Mr. and Mrs. Hunt her first few weeks in their home, but they were made of tough stuff; they let Jo know quick that they were onto her game. She thought she was building a reputation for herself by being the teen that no foster parents could handle. They wanted her in their home, and she wasn't going to do anything horrible enough to change that.

A deep need within Jo was filled that day...someone actually _wanted_ her. A set of parents, a mother and a father, wanted her. They wanted her around. Her own mother didn't want her, but this set of foster parents wanted her...they wanted to love her.

Jo's edges softened slightly that day; she could handle living here. At least in the Hunt household she had an older brother that didn't try to feel her up or anything. Owen was actually a good guy. He teased her, joked with her, and stuck up for her. When he wasn't taking up residence in the bathroom, that is.

"Hey!" Jo snapped as Owen barged into the bathroom and reached around her for his deodorant. "I'm in here!"

"Yeah, well, I was in here first," Owen replied smugly and unplugged her straightener before leaving the bathroom.

"Owen!" Jo shrieked and jammed the plug back into the socket. "I'm going to kill you!" The last word wavered as a smile crossed her lips. Owen drove her crazy, but...she wouldn't trade this family for the world.

After finishing her hair, Jo snatched her backpack from her bed and hurried downstairs. "I don't have time for breakfast," she informed Pat, her foster mother, as she passed through the kitchen.

"Jo!" Pat called after her. "You have plenty of time. Sit."

Normally Jo would backtalk, but...she liked having someone who cared enough about her to make sure she ate breakfast before going to school. "Mmmm," she sighed as Pat set a plate of sausage, eggs, and toast in front of her.

"What's the big rush?" Owen remarked across from her before biting into a piece of his toast. "We've got thirty minutes before the first bell rings."

"No, you have thirty minutes," Jo replied before taking a bite of eggs. "I have twenty."

Owen rolled his eyes. "If you wouldn't make me drop you off at the football field, you could have thirty minutes too."

"You know why I make you do that," Jo mumbled before taking a sip of juice. Jo worked hard to keep everyone from knowing that she was a foster kid. No one at Seattle High knew that she was living in the Hunt household. She didn't need any of the other kids giving her a hard time, and she certainly didn't want to be anyone's charity case. Every day Jo had Owen drop her off at the football field so that she could walk the rest of the distance to school and no one would see her leaving Owen's car. When Owen had the football goons at his house, she stayed locked in her room until they left. No one knew her secret, and she worked damn hard to keep it that way.

Owen stirred his eggs absently. "No one is going to care..." He glanced to Jo as she kept her eyes on her plate of food. "You could have an instant group of friends, you know?"

"What, the jocks?" Jo snipped and made a noise of disgust. "Oohhh, or the airhead cheerleaders?"

Owen frowned deeply. "The guys are good guys. And the cheerleaders aren't airheads. Arizona has a four point oh."

Jo rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, thanks."

Owen took a bite of sausage before speaking again. "Alex has a thing for you, you know?" he teased.

"Alex?" Jo frowned. "Who's Alex?"

Owen shook his head. "You don't even know his name? Seriously, Jo?" He took another bite of toast before speaking again. "Sophomore, average build, brown hair?" How else was he supposed to describe another guy?! "He ran into you or something?"

"Oh...yeah," Jo nodded, the guy finally ringing a bell in her memory. "He's a rude ass."

"Jo!" Pat scolded from the stove.

"Sorry," Jo said sheepishly and ducked her head.

"We're having this group thing Saturday night," Owen offered and finished his juice. "You should come. Hang out with someone that actually enjoys the sunlight."

"Don't talk about Meredith," Jo frowned.

"Okay, okay," Owen said and held his hands up. "It wouldn't kill you to mingle with other people, that's all I'm saying." He stood and took his empty breakfast dishes to the sink.

"You should go with him," Pat chimed in. "They're good kids."

"Okay, fine!" Jo exclaimed before scarfing down the rest of her breakfast. "If it will get you off my case, fine! I'll go!" She deposited the dishes in the sink and head towards the door, but turned back when Pat grabbed her arm.

"Have a good day," Pat told her sincerely. "Take a jacket; it's supposed to turn cool."

Jo looked to the floor before nodding. "Okay...see you later." She placed a quick kiss to Pat's cheek before yanking up her back pack, grabbing a jacket from the coat rack by the door, and running to Owen's car. "Why did you have to say that in front of Pat?!" she fumed after climbing into the front seat and slamming the door closed.

"How else did you think I was gonna make you come?" Owen smirked before squealing away from the Hunt home.

"Fine, I'll go, but it doesn't mean I'm going to like any of them," Jo snapped and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"We'll see," Owen replied smugly and glanced over to her. Jo turned away from him and looked out of the window as they headed towards Seattle High. "Be careful," Owen said minutes later as he slowed down in front of the stadium.

"Thanks," Jo sighed, not able to stay mad at him when he worried for her safety. "See you later." She climbed from the car and pulled her back pack onto her shoulder as she walked towards the school. Yet again, no one noticed her, and that was just the way she liked it. As soon as Jo reached her locker, she tossed the jacket inside and pulled out her first period's book. "Hey," she sighed as Meredith leaned against the locker beside hers.

"What's up with you?" Meredith asked with a raised eyebrow. "You walked right by me and didn't say a word."

"Sorry," Jo apologized before loading up her back pack for the next two periods. "Owen just...ugh! The team is having this thing Saturday, and he asked me to go in front of Pat..."

"Bummer," Meredith frowned.

"Yeah," Jo rolled her eyes. "So now, I have to go. Pat says they're good kids." She made a face.

"Maybe they'll morph you into a cheerleader," Meredith teased.

"Over my dead body," Jo growled. Meredith was the only one who knew that she was living with Owen Hunt's family; Jo made up a story about Owen being a long-distant relative. She felt guilty for lying, but she knew that Meredith and Owen didn't run in the same social circles, so Meredith would never find out that the Hunts were actually Jo's foster parents. "I actually met one of the freshman cheerleaders the other day. Lexie's not that bad."

Meredith's head quirked at the mention of Lexie. "Lexie, huh?" she asked casually, glancing up the hall as if she were making conversation because she was bored. "You mean she's not like the other airheads?"

"No, she's got a photographic memory," Jo replied as she shut her locker and the two girls moved down the hall. "Plus, she seems too nice to be a cheerleader."

Meredith nodded, tucking away the information that her sister had a photographic memory. At least she finally knew something about the girl. "Sounds like you've met a decent one," she remarked as they stopped at her locker. "Maybe you'll find a few more that are cool."

"I won't be holding my breath for that one," Jo remarked with a roll of her eyes. "See you at lunch!"

Meredith watched the freshman continue up the hall before she checked her phone again. Nothing. Lexie had not attempted to call her, and she hadn't sent her a text either. Meredith turned off her phone for a few seconds before turning it on again. Nothing. A small part of her hoped that a text had gotten lost in the air waves, and if she powered up her phone, she'd get a message from Lexie.

"You look like you're waiting for a call from some guy," Cristina observed as she joined Meredith at her locker.

"I was hoping Lexie text me," Meredith replied glumly and pulled some books from her locker.

Cristina bit her lip, watching as her best friend's shoulders slumped. "That didn't go so well, huh?" she asked quietly.

"Not really," Meredith shook her head. "I gave her my number, but...she hasn't called yet."

"You wanted it to go better, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Meredith admitted after hesitating for several moments. "I guess I thought she'd be happy..."

"Give her some time," Cristina advised. "She'll come around. It's a lot to handle, you know?" A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Besides, she might be annoying as hell, so you may be dodging a bullet."

"You're terrible!" Meredith laughed and hit Cristina lightly with her notebook. "Ugh, I so don't want to be here today."

"Yeah, me either," Cristina remarked and looked around. "Let's ditch."

Meredith turned wide eyes to her friend. "S-Seriously?"

"Why not?" Cristina asked boldly. "You've got your mom's car, don't you?"

"Well, yeah..."

"Then let's do it!" Cristina exclaimed and tossed her books into Meredith's locker. "Let's blow this joint."

"What if we get caught?!" Meredith hissed as Cristina pulled her books from her arm and stuffed them in her locker.

"We won't get caught," Cristina assured her. "Just act like you're going to shop, okay? We have to cross through the parking lot to get to the shop. We'll just wait until the guard moves to the front of the school, then we'll haul ass to your car."

Meredith considered the plan; it sounded fool-proof. The auto shop was separate from the school, so no one would actually suspect that they were skipping. "What the hell," she finally decided and shut her locker.

"That's my girl," Cristina grinned and looped arms with Meredith.

"We're going to get caught," Meredith panicked as they walked through a side door of the high school.

"No, we're not," Cristina hissed back. "Be cool." They casually continued down the sidewalk towards the shop building. Well, Cristina was casual; Meredith looked guilty.

Meredith finally relaxed as they neared her car. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed as the security guard rounded towards the front of the school. "We made it!"

"I told you," Cristina smiled victoriously. "Just leave everything to me. Mer?" she asked, noticing that Meredith's attention was fixed on something occuring towards the front of the parking lot. Cristina followed her gaze and sighed heavily. "Don't go there," she warned her friend. "Just get in the car, and let's go."

"I...can't..." Meredith murmured as she watched the couple's argument escalate.

"You don't even care about me any more!" Addison screeched, balling her fists at her sides.

"I do care about you!" Derek shot back. "A part of me will always care about you..."

"A part?!" Addison cut him off. "Which part, Derek? Because honestly, I can't tell that _any_ part of you actually likes me!"

"Stop being dramatic," Derek frowned. "I've been busy! That's all!" He wanted to end things with Addison with every fiber of his being, but now wasn't the right time. If he ended things with her during a fight, then she would vow to get revenge. He knew Addison well enough to know her ways.

"You haven't been that damn busy!" Addison yelled. "You know, I wonder why we're even dating anymore! I don't feel like I have a boyfriend!"

Derek tried not to pounce on the tidbit she just threw this way. "Are you wanting to break up with me?!" he snapped. "I'm busy, so you don't want to be with me anymore?!"

"I don't want to be with you because you're lying to me!" Addison shot back hotly. "Just tell me the truth!"

"I did tell you the truth!"

"There you go again!" Addison exclaimed, throwing her hand up in Derek's direction. "Another lie!"

Derek ran his hand through his hair. "I can't deal with you when you're like this. You're so busy screaming at me that you're not even listening!"

"Hey, guys, bring it down a bit," Mark intervened as he jogged towards his fighting friends. "Just...go to your neutral corners, okay?"

Addison crinkled her nose in disgust. "I am so done with you, Derek." She spun on her heel and started towards the school.

Derek felt a light in his spirit. Had he done it?! Had he actually manipulated Addison into breaking up with him? "We're done?!" he called after her.

"It's over!" Addison threw over her shoulder.

"She doesn't mean that," Mark spoke quickly, looking to his best friend. "Let me talk to her.."

"It's fine," Derek shrugged. "Seriously, it's fine."

Mark studied his friend with a raised eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

Derek felt the relief wave through his body. "Yeah," he answered. "I'm okay."

News of Addison and Derek's break up spread through the school like wildfire. By second period boys were carrying Addison's books and girls were throwing themselves at Derek. Addison ate up the attention while Derek tried to keep a low profile. He knew Addison would have The Bitch Clique watching his every move, and her little lackies would report back whoever they saw him with.

As much as it irritated him, Derek knew that now was not the time to interact with Meredith, at least not while they were at school. He could bide his time though. Meredith was worth the wait.

Thursday ended with a freshman football victory. The varsity players were impressed with the freshman team and treated them to pizza.

Friday, however, wasn't that great for the Seattle Tigers. Alex fumbled the ball in the last few seconds and cost the team the game.

Come Saturday night, everyone was looking for a way to blow off some steam. The group date came right on time.

"What time are you going to be home?" Susan called as Lexie ran frantically through the house looking for her purse.

"I don't know," Lexie replied absently. "We may catch a burger or something later..." She snatched up her blanket from the couch and sighed with relief when she found her purse. "I'll text you and let you know."

"And how old is this boy?" Susan asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lexie bit her lip. "He-he's a junior," she lied. She rarely lied to her mother, but she wasn't prepared for the lecture she'd get for dating someone so much older than her. Maybe if things got serious with Mark...maybe she'd confess his real age then.

Susan's eyebrows knit together. "Isn't that a bit old, Lexie?"

"It's a group date," Lexie pointed out. "There's going to be like, twenty of us there." She jumped when the doorbell rang. "That's probably April! I'll text you later, I promise." She planted a quick kiss to her mother's cheek and ran towards the front door. "Oh!" she exclaimed after opening the door.

"Hey," Meredith greeted nervously. "I, uh, never heard from you..."

"Yeah, ummm, about that," Lexie mumbled, stepping onto the porch and pulling the door closed. "I just...I'm still kind of...I don't know..."

Meredith nodded slowly. "I always wanted a little sister," she offered. "I just...hoped we could be friends..." She took a few steps back. "I'm sorry for bothering you..."

"M-Meredith, wait," Lexie called as Meredith turned to leave. "I always wanted an older sister," she confessed when Meredith turned back to look at her. "I was just surprised..." She laughed dryly. "I haven't even talked to my mom about you yet."

"I get that," Meredith finally said after a few seconds of silence. "It's a weird situation to be in..."

"A very weird situation," Lexie chimed in, looking to the ground. Meredith's confession days earlier had rocked her world. Lexie hadn't really been the same since. Even now, she was forcing herself to go on this date to make things feel normal again. In reality, she wasn't really feeling it. Deep down...she knew she wouldn't feel normal again until she got to know her sister. "Are-are you busy?" she asked quietly, looking up to Meredith.

"Now?" Meredith asked, caught off guard. "No, not really..." She quirked her head, Jo's words coming to her mind. "Don't you have a thing tonight?"

Lexie shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously. "I did, but...my priorities changed."

Meredith smiled. "You want to grab a burger?"

Lexie nodded happily. "Yes, I'd like that. Hold on one second." She pulled out her phone and sent two text messages-one to April telling her that she wouldn't need a ride tonight, and another to Mark apologizing that she wouldn't be able to make it tonight because of family issues. Thank goodness Mark had given her his number at the game the night before!

"Are you ready?" Meredith called after cranking her car.

"Coming!" Lexie called and turned her phone on vibrate before dropping it into her purse.

Mark jarred as his phone dinged as he waited in line at the movies. He pulled the phone from his pocket and read Lexie's text. "What the hell?!"

"Dude," Derek made a face, looking over to his best friend. "What's wrong with you?"

Mark turned the phone so that Derek could see the screen. "Lexie isn't coming!"

Derek read the text with raised eyebrows. "Stood up by a freshman," he mused. "That's got to hurt."

"Shut up," Mark frowned and punched him in the arm. He stuffed the phone back into his pocket. How could Lexie bail on him at the last minute? Family issues? What kind of family issues? Mark crossed his arms and pouted as the ticket line slowly moved. "Kepner!" he yelled as he spotted Alex and April headed towards the end of the line. "Come up here with me," he waved them towards him. "Shut up, they're skipping me," he growled to the movie complainers behind him.

"What's up?" April asked as she moved in front of Mark.

"Where's Lexie?" Mark asked, acting as if he didn't know anything.

"Oh, she had family issues tonight," April replied. "Something with her sister...she didn't really say." April bit her lip. "Did she not tell you?"

"Yeah, she told me," Mark admitted.

"Then why did you..." April started, then gasped. "You thought she was lying?!" She swatted his arm as she spoke.

"I was just double checking," Mark replied defensively.

"Not everyone is a lying whore like you," April quipped and put her back to him.

Mark's mouth dropped. "A lying _whore_?!" he sputtered.

"You heard me," April sassed.

A slow grin covered Mark's face as he leaned down to April's ear. "I think you're jealous that I haven't directed my skills to you, April."

"Oh, God!" April exclaimed, her face reddening. "Alex, let me in front of you." She forced her way in front of Alex and rubbed at her ear, causing Mark to howl behind her. "Sorry," she murmured as she bumped into Derek.

"You're playing right into his hands, you know," Derek smirked as he looked back to Mark. "He lives to get a rise out of people. Just ignore him."

"Thanks for the advice," April sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Are you okay?" she asked softly and bit her lip. "You know, since you and Addison broke up?"

Derek looked to April for a moment, feeling the compassion emanating from her. "Can I tell you a secret?" he lowered his voice.

"Sure," April whispered back. "My lips are sealed."

Derek looked around before speaking. "I'm glad it's over."

April visibly relaxed. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

April bit her lip. "I am too," she confessed. "Addison treated you like dirt, Derek. You deserve much better."

Derek smiled at her before moving to the ticket booth. "You always were my favorite cheerleader," he remarked before buying his ticket.

April giggled as she paid for her ticket and moved inside. "Hey, Jackson!" she called as she spotted Jackson in the refreshment line.

"Hey," Jackson greeted as April moved behind him. "You look nice."

"Thanks," April blushed and reached into her purse. "Good game last night."

"Thanks," Jackson chuckled. "I haven't heard much of that lately."

"We can't expect you guys to win every game," April said as her eyes roamed the menu.

"What are you getting?" Jackson asked casually as he pretended to examine the menu as well.

"Popcorn and a diet coke," April finally decided.

Jackson stepped up to the front of the line. "The lady will have a popcorn and diet coke, and I'll take a large buttered popcorn and large coke."

"Jackson!" April exclaimed. "You didn't have to pay for mine."

"I know," Jackson smiled as he pulled out his wallet. "I wanted to."

April chewed her lip. "I've forgiven you for the paper," she said softly. "You don't have to keep making it up to me..."

"I _wanted_ to," Jackson stressed, looking to her intently.

April swallowed hard, instinctively licking her lips. Her mind flashed back to the day in Drama when she and Jackson shared that passionate kiss. He must have been thinking about it too, because he leaned towards her slightly.

"Get to moving, Avery!" Alex shouted three people behind them. "I'd like some popcorn before the movie starts!"

"Why?" Jackson shot back. "So you can fumble it?" The other players errupted in noises and started to heckle Alex.

"That was kind of bad," April scolded lightly as Jackson passed her the popcorn and drink.

"He kind of deserved it," Jackson smirked, opening the door to the theater for her. "You want to sit with me?" he asked casually as they moved down the aisle towards the middle row.

"I'd like that," April smiled at him as she took a seat in the middle of the row. She put her popcorn in one holder and her drink in the other. "Ooppss, sorry," she apologized as her hand bumped into Jackson's.

"My mistake," Jackson smiled, settling in the chair beside her. He watched for a second as April munched on a few pieces of popcorn. Screw Alex. "We should do this sometime," he remarked.

"Do what?" April asked as she looked over to him.

Jackson held her gaze. "Come to a movie...just me and you..."

April felt the blush rise in her cheeks. "Are you asking me out?"

"Maybe," Jackson smirked.

"Then maybe I'll go with you," April replied coyly, then jumped as someone settled in beside her. "Alex!" she exclaimed.

"I tried to get your attention, but you didn't hear me!" Alex snapped. "Hey, Stephanie!" he yelled to the back of the theater. "He's right here!"

"Oh no," Jackson groaned and slumped down in his seat as he heard the steps of The Bitch Clique headed his way.

"Hey, Jackson," Stephanie flirted as she moved beside him. "I thought I saw you here!"

Alex sat back and watched as Jackson politely spoke with Stephanie and April became quiet. "You okay?" he asked April.

"I'm fine," April whispered and stared into her popcorn.

Alex sat back and opened a candy bar, offering a bite to April. She shook her head and clutched her popcorn. Alex faced the screen, but kept darting his eyes over to April as Stephanie turned up the charm on Jackson. Damn, the girl was practically throwing herself at him! She'd probably let Jackson nail her right there in the middle of the theater!

"Excuse me!" April exclaimed and stood up, stomping on Alex's feet as she ran from the row.

"Ow!" Alex exclaimed, glaring after her as he watched her take an end seat several rows behind them. He started to follow April, but a small part of him felt guilty. He was the reason April was upset right now; maybe he should give her some space. The thing was, she just didn't know Jackson the way he did. She never heard all of the shit Jackson talked in the locker room. Jackson had one thing on his mind, and he wasn't getting it from Alex's best friend! One day April would thank him. "This seat is taken," Alex turned as someone sat beside him. "Oh," he grinned, his eyes settling on the infamous Jo Wilson. "Hey."

"Don't be so smug," Jo stated. "I'm only sitting here because you're the only one I sort of know in this group of goons."

"Goons?" Alex chuckled.

"Yes, goons," Jo smirked, reaching over and taking a handful of his popcorn. "Oh, hey, Stephanie!" she exclaimed, looking around Alex.

"Hey, Jo," Stephanie waved back, then turned her attention back to Jackson. "Are you dating anyone?" she asked flirtatiously and skimmed her fingers up his arm.

Jackson looked down to her hand before moving his arm. "Okay, Stephanie, look," he sighed. "This...between us...it's not going to happen, okay? I'm just...I'm not interested." He watched as Stephanie sat back stunned. "I'm sorry to be so blunt, but...I don't believe in leading people on, you know?" He grabbed his coke in one hand and his popcorn in the other. "I'm sorry."

Stephanie followed him with her eyes as he moved to the back of the theater. "Oh my God," she whispered.

Reed bit back a smile. "Hey, at least he didn't lead you on," she offered to the younger girl.

Stephanie licked her lip, a look of disgust crossing her features. "It's got to be that April girl," she fumed. "Why else would he not be interested in me?" Stephanie scanned the theater, noticing April sitting a few rows behind her. She glared at the girl as Mark sat beside the red head. "Isn't Mark dating April?" she asked, looking over to Reed.

"Oh, gosh no," Reed laughed. "Mark is a player, a complete and utter player. April's a virgin, there's no way..." She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth as her eyes widened.

Stephanie directed her attention to Reed. "April's a virgin?" she asked, an idea coming to mind. "Seriously?"

"You can't say anything!" Reed hissed.

"Oh, I won't," Stephanie smirked, her eyes traveling over to Jackson. Jackson didn't want to date her, huh? That was fine...but he wouldn't be dating April either. After all, who would possibly want to date a girl who let Mark Sloan pop her cherry?

Stephanie couldn't wait until Monday morning. By the end of first period the whole school would think that Mark deflowered April. Jackson would never want to date her then.


	10. Chapter 10 - The Rumor

Chapter 10 - The Rumor

"Thanks," Callie smiled as the waitress refilled her glass of water. "I really appreciate you talking to me and everything," she directed at Arizona as she salted her french fries.

"It's no problem," Arizona smiled as she poured light dressing on her salad. "I remember how hard it was when I knew that I wasn't feeling what I should be feeling."

Callie nodded knowingly as she picked up a french fry and took a bite. At first, she was confused, very confused in fact. She didn't understand why she wasn't drooling over Mark like everyone else in the school did; Callie simply blew it off and believed that she didn't go for blonde guys. She directed her attention to Derek Shepherd and realized that she didn't feel a thing for him either. She moved her attentions through each football player and realized that nothing was changing. She didn't feel a thing for any of them; sure, they were fun guys to hang out with, but...kiss one of them? Eh, she could live without it. "How did you tell your parents?" she asked before taking a bite of her cheeseburger.

"May parents already kinda knew," Arizona replied and crinkled her nose. "I have posters of Little Mix on my wall," she laughed. "Oh, and Kristen Stewart."

"Kristen Stewart?" Callie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Did you not see her in that movie?" Arizona asked with wide eyes. "The part two movie..she was hot!"

Callie laughed nervously and looked to her basket of food, stirring her ketchup around with a fry. "No, I guess I missed that one."

Arizona studied her for a moment. "You haven't actually thought any other girl is hot, have you?"

Callie bit her lip. "Not really," she finally admitted, wincing slightly.

"Why?" Arizona asked as she mixed her salad around. "Because of your dad?"

Callie considered the thought. "Yeah, I think so," she replied. "I mean, he's been preaching against homosexuality for years...I guess I just always thought it was wrong, you know?"

"It is wrong to some people," Arizona said as she stabbed some lettuce with her fork, "but I've just considered myself different. Some girls drool over other guys. I just happen to think other girls are hot." Arizona watched as Callie shifted again. "You really don't like talking about this, do you?"

Callie shrugged. "I've just...never been able to," she finally sighed. "I don't have any girls that I hang out with, and Mark doesn't really talk about girls. He just goes and hits on them."

Arizona rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you hang out with Mark of all people."

"There's nothing wrong with Mark," Callie frowned defensively.

Arizona gave her a look. "We barely had enough varsity cheerleaders on the squad last year because of him."

"It takes two to tango," Callie pointed out. "Everyone knows Mark's reputation."

"The freshmen don't," Arizona replied. "If he runs Lexie off the junior varsity squad, I'm going to kill him."

"He won't," Callie assured her. "Mark really seems to like Lexie."

Arizona shrugged. "She is cute." She glanced over to the dark haired girl as she laughed nervously. "You don't think she's cute?"

"Yeah, I guess she's cute," Callie finally shrugged as Arizona looked to her expectantly.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" Arizona directed at her before taking a bite of her salad.

"You scare me," Callie said quietly.

"I scare you?" Arizona scoffed. "Trust me, girl, there's not a scary bone in my body."

"You're just so comfortable with everything," Callie said as she looked across the table at the cheerleader. "I don't know if I'll ever be there. I guess I'll always think it's wrong."

"You need a support group," Arizona said matter of factly. "You should hang around other people who have been through what you're going through."

Callie made a face. "Who else at Seattle High is a lesbian?"

Arizona chewed on her lip. "Nobody," she said and winced. "I'm the only one."

Callie smiled and shook her head. "Then it looks like I'll be bugging you for the rest of the school year."

Arizona smiled softly. "You don't bug me."

Callie felt herself blush. The vote of confidence made her feel a little better. Daring, even. "You wanna know something?" she asked, her voice wavering nervously.

"Sure," Arizona chirped as she took another bite of her salad.

Callie cleared her throat. If she started it, she had to see it all the way through. "The first time I thought I was gay was during the summer. Mark was at practice, and I saw you with the other cheerleaders...you've got great legs." She looked down to her food as she spoke.

A slow smile crept onto Arizona's lips. "Thanks, I work out," she winked.

Callie smiled at the mild flirting they had going on. It felt good, comfortable to not be in hiding; she could finally be herself. "You know, maybe some time we should..."

"Oh no, don't finish that," Arizona cut her off, dabbing her mouth with her napkin.

"What?" Callie frowned. "You don't know what I was going to say."

"I'm pretty sure I do," Arizona remarked with a nod of her head. "You're not ready for that yet. We'll still hang out, cause I think you're cool, but we're just keeping it casual for now. You have to get more comfortable with yourself before you can enter into a relationship."

A part of Callie wished a hole would open up and swallow her, but the other part of her was thankful that Arizona was being kind to her. Arizona had a great wisdom about her; it just naturally drew Callie in. "Would you have said no?" she asked softly.

Arizona looked back to her, seeing the vulnerability in the girl's eyes. "I wouldn't have said no."

Callie smiled, feeling a wave of relief move through her. Thank goodness! Callie looked up as the door to the diner banged open, and it seemed that half of the football team flooded in. "Why aren't you with them?" she frowned, noticing Kepner and a few other cheerleaders with the team.

Arizona glanced over her shoulder. "I see them enough at school."

Callie watched as Mark did a double take. "Yeah, well, get ready to see them again," she mused as Mark headed their way.

"Well, well, well," Mark boomed, grinning broadly as he approached the table. "Am I ever going to see you two separate now?" He slid into the booth beside Callie and stole one of her french fries. "If you ever need a third person to hang out with...I gladly offer my services."

"You're so gross," Arizona frowned.

"Seriously," Callie chimed in. "The threesome thing is just sleazy, Mark."

"Sexy," Mark smirked as he slid out of the booth. "The correct word is sexy."

Callie laughed and shook her head, looking over to the group of jocks. Her brows knit together when she didn't see Lexie. "I thought you and Lexie were hanging out tonight."

"Yeah, I don't want to talk about that," Mark grumbled and turned, moving back to the group of football players. He knew it was rude to blow Callie off, but the whole Lexie thing was still a sore spot for him. His ego was still stinging; a freshman, a freaking freshman, had him put together this big group outing, and then she didn't even show up. His reputation had taken a severe hit because of her.

"You okay, man?" Derek asked as his friend returned to the table.

"Yeah, of course," Mark scoffed.

Derek's eyes narrowed slightly. Mark was lying. "If this is about Lexie..."

"It's not about Lexie," Mark cut him off. "She's the one who had something to lose, not me."

"You sure about that?" Derek asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course I'm sure," Mark blew him off. "The real question here is when are you going to crawl back to Addison?"

"I'm not crawling back to Addison," Derek replied firmly.

"Why not?" Mark frowned before ordering a coke. "Addie's hot."

"Addie's a bitch," Derek frowned.

Mark's eyebrows shot up. "Ummm, okay..."

Derek ran his hand through his hair. "There's just...things you don't know about her..."

Mark smirked. "And from the way you're talking, I don't _ever_ want to get to know her the way you know her." He hesitated for a moment before outright grinning. "At least tell me she was good in the sack."

"Dog," Derek chuckled and hit him on the shoulder.

Mark grinned before placing his order of a double cheeseburger with chili cheese fries. His mind roamed as Owen started talking defense for their next game Friday night. He should be focusing on the team, especially since they'd already lost a game, but his mind kept roaming to Lexie. The girl seemed generally interested in him, but when she was given the chance to go out with him, she bailed. And at the last freaking minute! Like something better had come along or something! What could be better than _him_?

Truth be told, Mark worried that Lexie had gotten the heads up about his reputation. Normally, Mark was proud of his rep, but this time...it sort of made him feel dirty. Like he wasn't good enough for Lexie. This entire thought process bothered him-what was it about Lexie that made him want to be a better person?

Mark's thoughts were interrupted when his cell phone chimed. He reached for it quickly, his face falling when he realized it wasn't contact from Lexie. It was actually a text from Addison of all people. _Can we talk?_

_Sure, what's up?_ Mark text back quickly.

_Can you come over?_

Mark groaned inwardly. He didn't know what it was about Addison, but she too had this power over him. The more he thought about it, she and Callie were the only ones who could twist him around their little fingers. He knew he gave in to them entirely too easily, but..he just couldn't tell them no. _Be there in a few_ he text back. "Hey, guys, I'm gonna split," he announced, throwing his hands up when the group protested. "I know, I know. We'll talk about this later."

"Is it Lexie?" Derek asked expectantly.

Mark hesitated a moment. "Yeah," he lied. "It's Lexie." He didn't have it in his heart to tell Derek that Addison was wanting to talk to him. He supposed it didn't really matter since they were broken up, but still...it felt wrong to see Addison behind Derek's back. Then again, it felt wrong to _not_ see Addison when she obviously needed him. Actually, Mark hated them both for putting him in this situation. "See you later," he called and waved goodbye.

Mark left the diner, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he started towards his truck. He stopped walking and paused, listening intently. He heard the noise again, looking around until he spotted the stranded motorist. "April?" he asked.

"My car is dead!" April exclaimed, throwing her hands up several feet away from him.

"Yeah, I hear that," Mark replied dryly. He'd heard her attempt to crank her car at least twice with no luck.

"I don't know what to do!" April shrieked, throwing her hands up again.

Mark glanced back into the diner, scanning for Karev. He finally spotted Alex in a back corner at a table with some brown haired girl. He was obviously making time with her, and maybe getting laid would improve Karev's game; Mark couldn't possibly interrupt him. "I'll boost you off," Mark sighed, feeling like he had 'door mat' tattooed on his forehead. "When you get home, tell your dad that you need a new battery."

"Thank you so much, Mark," April breathed before Mark climbed into his truck and pulled it into the parking slot beside her car. "What?" she asked after Mark climbed from his truck and looked at her expectantly.

"Where are your jumper cables?"

April crinkled her brow. "What are jumper cables?"

"You shouldn't be driving a car," Mark pointed at her before pulling his set of jumper cables from the back of his truck. Minutes later April's car cranked right up.

"Thank you!" April exclaimed, bouncing up and down. "I thought I was going to have to walk home!"

"You're welcome," Mark grumbled as he put away his jumper cables.

"How can I ever thank you?" April gushed.

"One kiss will be just fine," Mark smirked.

April's cheeks flamed and she opened her mouth, but then stopped herself. She ducked into her car, retrieved her purse, and dug around in it. "Here you go," she chirped and tossed something to Mark.

Mark barely managed to catch the flying silver object before he burst out laughing. "Cute, Kepner," he chuckled as he looked to the Hershey's Kiss in his hand. "Very cute." He shook his head and gave her a wave before climbing into his truck and heading for the Montgomery house.

Mark was barely out of his truck before Addison flew from the house and threw her arms around him. "Damn, Addie," Mark remarked, staggering back. He softened when he heard her sniffle against his chest. "Ssshhh," he soothed, smoothing her hair away from her face. His arm wrapped around her shoulder as he guided her inside. "Where are Captain and Bizzy?"

"Some benefit," Addison murmured as Mark guided her through her huge, empty house. The house never seemed so empty to her until tonight.

Mark walked with her into the living room and eased her onto the couch. "You look like hell."

"Mark!" Addison exclaimed and hit him on the shoulder.

Mark gave her a half smile before putting his arm around her. "You want to talk about it?"

"No," Addison replied stubbornly and put her cheek to his chest. She sat in silence for a moment. "Was Derek with you tonight?"

Mark cringed. "You knew about the group date?"

"Yeah," Addison gulped. "Stephanie went to chase Jackson." She took a breath. "Was Derek there?"

"He was," Mark finally answered after several moments of silence.

"Was he with anyone?" Addison asked quietly.

"No."

A light filled Addison's features. "Then maybe..."

"Addie," Mark interrupted. "It's over. I'm sorry, but it's over." He took a breath. "Derek's not feeling it..."

Addison nodded numbly. "I kind of figured that...we haven't been getting along for a while..." She sighed heavily, closing her eyes for a moment as she relaxed against Mark. To be honest, Addison was more upset that Derek hadn't attempted to call her or rekindle their relationship. Didn't he care that she dumped him?! Quarterback of the football team was dumped for crying out loud! Didn't he have any pride?!

Mark quietly listened as Addison continued to ramble absently. He knew that Derek saw things from his perspective, but it seemed that Addison was genuinely upset by the breakup. "It's going to be okay," he said softly after she finally quieted. "I'm sure you'll have a line of guys waiting to ask you out Monday morning."

Addison smiled softly and pushed herself up so that she could look at him. "You always know what to say," she whispered, quirking her head and looking at him. She watched as Mark dropped his eyes. "Would you be in that line?"

"What?" Mark asked, his eyebrows lifting.

"Would you be in the line?" Addison repeated. "The line of guys to ask me out?"

Mark chuckled nervously and looked away. "You're hot, Addie, but...I can't do that to my best friend." Not to mention he was focused on Lexie now, not that she was focused on him, but still.

"What if you and Derek weren't best friends?" Addison asked, reaching out and cupping his cheek.

"I, uh, well," Mark stuttered before Addison moved in and kissed him. He responded for about a second, then pulled away from her. "Addie, we can't do this."

"Why not?" Addison asked, moving in to kiss him again.

Mark slipped off of the couch and moved away from her quickly. "We're friends...Derek is our friend...and I'm not going to be your rebound."

Addison's brows knit together angrily. "I so hate you right now, Mark!"

"And you'll hate me even more if I take advantage of you," Mark retorted.

Addison fumed for a few minutes before sighing heavily. "Do you forgive me?" she finally asked quietly.

"Of course I do," Mark smirked and leaned down, kissing her forehead. "I totally deserve a medal for that though."

"You do," Addison giggled and walked Mark to the door. "Thank you for being my friend," she told him sincerely as he lingered in the doorway.

"Always," Mark vowed. "You're going to get through this, Addie. It's just going to take time. You and Derek are better off apart."

Addison nodded slowly. Deep down, she knew that Mark was right. She and Derek hadn't been a happy couple for weeks now. Breaking up was really just a formality; they'd broken up a long, long time again. Addison waved goodbye to Mark and closed the door quietly, sighing heavily. Now, she just had to move on with her life.

Addison spent all of Sunday in bed. She stayed buried under her blankets and watched romantic comedy after romantic comedy. She cried, laughed, and just kept to herself. Naomi, Reed, and Stephanie bombarded her phone with encouraging texts, but she didn't feel like replying. She needed some time to herself.

Addison woke up Monday morning with a whole new attitude. She and Derek broke up, so what? She had a life before Derek, and she'd have a life after him. Who knows, they might end up being friends or something. Determined, Addison dressed in a new dress, a pair of wedge sandals, and even took the time to curl her hair. It was time to move on.

"You look gorgeous!" Reed exclaimed as Addison joined The Bitch Clique half an hour later.

"Are you okay?" Naomi asked quietly, putting her arm around Addison's shoulders.

"I'm fine," Addison nodded, clutching her English book to her chest.

"You sure?" Naomi studied her closely.

"I'm fine, Nay," Addison smiled, leaning her head over onto her friend's shoulder for a minute. "So, what's new?"

Stephanie smirked before lowering her voice. "Do you want to know what I heard?" she whispered.

"What?" the three chimed in, lowering their voices as well.

Stephanie scanned the parking lot before licking her lip. "I heard that Mark Sloan deflowered April Kepner."

The three girls gasped.

"No way!" Reed exploded. "There is no way April would sleep with him!" She and April hadn't talked much lately, but she _knew_ that her former friend would never sleep with someone like Mark!

"That's what I heard," Stephanie raised her hands defensively.

"Mark _is_ hot," Naomi admitted.

"Wait a minute!" Addison gasped. "I asked Mark over Friday night...I just wanted to get over Derek...Mark wouldn't kiss me."

"You and Mark?" Naomi frowned disapprovingly.

"I said I was trying to get over Derek," Addison snapped defensively. "Anyway, Mark wouldn't do anything...obviously cause he's boinking April!"

"Obviously," Stephanie smirked.

Reed looked between her friends as they continued to chatter about the juicy piece of gossip. "There's got to be an explanation for this," she reasoned. "April would not sleep with Mark!"

"Think about it," Stephanie reasoned. "April and Mark have been hanging out lately. I know you heard about him catching her in cheerleading practice."

"What?" Addison asked, looking to the freshman.

"Oh yeah," Stephanie said with a wave of her hand. "The freshman squad dropped April, but Mark caught her."

"Then he yelled at Arizona," Naomi added, nodding slowly. "Why would he yell at Arizona..."

"Unless he was boinking April," Addison finished. "Wow. Who knew April had it in her...Mark's an animal..." The three girls giggled.

"Check her out," Stephanie nodded as Alex and April left Alex's car. Stephanie smiled to herself as more and more students looked at April and started snickering amongst their social groups. She'd carefully planted the information in several social circles; she was sure Jackson knew by now.

Reed bit her lip, watching as April entered the school, obviously clueless. There was no way... Her thoughts were interrupted as the first bell rang. "See you guys at lunch," she said absently before hurrying to her locker. Had April truly fallen for one of Mark's lies? What about Jackson? Reed shook her head; maybe she didn't her former friend after all. Maybe the clothes, make up, and popularity had changed April as well.

Reed pulled her Spanish book and binder from her locker before hurrying to class. She slipped into her seat moments before April entered the classroom. The girls started whispering amongst themselves and some of the guys started whistling and making catcalls at April.

It was obvious the news was all over school, but...April seemed oblivious.

Reed studied her former friend closely during class. April looked downright uncomfortable; she didn't look the part of a girl who had just nailed the school stud. Something wasn't right about this. "A-April," Reed called unsurely after class was dismissed.

"Yeah?" April asked, her brows crinkled as she turned to her fellow classmate.

Reed looked down for a second before looking back to the cheerleader. "D-did you sleep with M-Mark?"

April's eyes widened and she gasped. "What?! No! Oh my gosh, why would you think that?!"

Reed nodded and bit her lip. "It's all over school that you did," she informed her sadly.

April's face blanched. "Oh my gosh," she whispered, feeling herself sway. "Please tell me you're lying!" she exclaimed.

Reed pursed her lips and looked to the floor. "I wish I was..."

"Oh no," April moaned and bolted from the classroom. She moved through the snickering crowds of students, headed for Mark's locker. "How could you do this?!"

Mark looked over to her. "Me?!" he exclaimed. "I help you get home, so you tell everybody we did it?! Next time you can walk home!"

"I didn't do this!" April exclaimed, then lowered her voice as the student body started whistling at them.

"You really expect me to believe that?" Mark frowned. "It's obvious you wanted to make Jackson jealous."

"Jackson," April panicked. "I didn't even think about Jackson!" Her hand flew to her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

Mark studied her through narrowed eyes. "You seriously didn't start this rumor?"

"No!" April exclaimed. "How could you even _think_ that?! Do you think I want to be the idiot who gave _you_ my virginity?!"

"Hey," Mark frowned.

"Besides," April ran over him, "Lexie is my little sister."

"Oh my God," Mark's eyes widened. "Lexie."

A throat cleared, causing both of them to look over and find Lexie standing a few feet away from them.

"Lexie, I don't know what you've heard," Mark started, reaching out to her.

"Don't!" Lexie exclaimed, snatching her arm from his grasp. "So this is how things work if I don't go out with you?! You sleep with someone else?" She spat the words, then rolled her eyes over to April. "And _you_."

"Lexie," April pleaded. "We didn't, I swear! I wouldn't do that to you!"

"You've known him longer than you've known me," Lexie snapped. "Of course you would!" She shook her head. "Both of you, just leave me alone!"

"Lexie," Mark begged.

"Leave me alone!" Lexie raised her voice before hurrying up the hall.

Mark looked to April. "I'll handle Lexie. You handle Jackson."

"We've got to figure out how this got started!" April exclaimed.

"So," Derek smirked as he approached Mark. "This is why you left Friday night?" he nodded to April. "I swear, Kepner, I thought you had better taste."

"We didn't," April exclaimed, tears filling her eyes again.

Derek looked to her, compassion moving through him. "Seriously?" he asked gently.

"We didn't," Mark confirmed.

"Does-does Jackson know?" April whispered.

Derek's gaze moved to the floor. "Everyone knows."

"Oh no," April panicked.

"Calm down," Derek said gently and touched her elbow. "We'll get to the bottom of this, I promise."

April nodded and turned, fleeing from Mark's locker. She collapsed into her second period desk moments later and sunk down in the chair after hearing some of her classmates snicker. It was obviously all over the school! Everyone thought she had slept with Mark! Who could do such a thing to her! April didn't think she had any enemies here!

April hardly paid attention in class. She was focused on getting to third period, Drama, so that she could talk to Jackson. As soon as the bell rang, she was on her feet running from the room. She didn't even bother stopping at her locker. She ran for the auditorium to find Jackson. "Jackson!" she exclaimed, spotting him on the third row.

Jackson shifted uncomfortably as April approached. He shook his head. "You don't have to explain anything to me."

"Yes, yes I do," April stuttered, sitting in the seat beside him. "Jackson, it's not true, I swear, it's not true!" Her voice wavered, and she felt the urge to cry.

Jackson looked over to her. He felt so _stupid_. No wonder April hardly gave him the time of day; she was screwing around with the infamous Mark Sloan. "Hey, look, it's cool," he shrugged.

April brushed away a stray tear. "I promise, we didn't...Mark and I didn't...I don't know how this started, but..." She inhaled deeply, willing herself not to cry. "It's not true."

Jackson looked over to her, wanting to believe her, but he didn't. Where there's smoke, there's fire. "I really liked you," he mumbled, grasping onto his books. "You shouldn't have lead me on." Jackson forced himself to stand and moved to another row, one far away from April.

Jackson's day didn't improve. Everywhere he went, someone was talking about Mark and April. The thought made him see red. Mark got to touch April, kiss her, see her naked... He slammed his locker shut at the end of the day, having the urge to put his first through a wall.

"Whoah, what's wrong with you, Avery?" Alex asked as he joined him.

"Like you haven't heard!" Jackson spat.

"Heard what?" Alex asked, his brows knitting together.

"About April," Jackson fumed. "I liked her, I mean, I really liked her, and she's been screwing Mark!"

Alex blinked. "_What_?"

"Yeah!" Jackson exploded, hitting the locker with his fist. "Mark nailed April! That's probably why they left early Friday night!"

Alex's eyes widened before he turned, headed for the football field.

"Alex?!" Jackson yelled after him.

Alex kept walking, ignoring his friend. He'd been keeping watch on Jackson, but in reality, Mark was the one he should have been watching. Mark didn't care for April, he just did it to improve his rep. Nothing would make him more popular than nailing a virgin. Alex stalked towards the locker room, getting more and more angry with each step. Everything made sense now-Mark caught April during practice because he was doing her. Mark yelled at Arizona because he was doing April. They left from the diner because they were going to hook up. That bastard!

"Where's Mark?" Alex growled after entering the locker room.

Owen glanced up from his locker. "He's already on the field. Karev!" he called as Alex left the locker room.

Alex had one thing on his mind as he stalked towards the field. "Sloan!"

"What?" Mark snapped, turning as his name was called. It'd been a bitch of a day. Lexie wouldn't talk to him, guys were congratulating him, and April was devastated. The girl was uptight, sure, but she didn't deserve this.

"What did you do to April?" Alex growled, walking up and shoving him in the chest.

Mark staggered back, then shoved Alex right back. "You're not her guardian, Karev!" Who the hell did this little punk think he was?!

"Are you screwing her?" Alex demanded, getting in Mark's face.

Mark shoved his back easily. "If I was," he sneered, "at least she's been with the best." Yeah, he knew it was the wrong thing to say, but Alex was grating on his last nerve.

Alex looked at Mark for two seconds before lunging for him, wrapping his arms around the senior's waist and taking him to the ground.


End file.
